GOWRIE, Iowa (AP) - Some residents have banded together in an effort to keep open the only grocery store in their central Iowa town.
The newly formed Gowrie Grocery LLC has scheduled a meeting Monday to answer questions and address local concerns about the Jamboree Foods store. A flyer advertising the meeting states a goal of raising $250,000 to purchase the existing building and fixtures and to maintain working capital.
The grocery serves the nearly 1,000 residents of Gowrie and other people who live in southwest Webster County. It’s part of the Heartland Market chain owned by Nick Graham, who’s closed stores recently in the small communities of Manson and Rockwell City.
Marcie Boerner, one of the Gowrie organizers, told The Messenger that Graham’s open to selling the store.
“Our goal is to purchase it,” she said.
City leaders have said there’s been no official notice that the store might be closing.
A Facebook post from Jamboree Foods on Dec. 10 said the store wanted to hire full-time employees for the meat department, for unloading trucks and stocking shelves, as well as part-time employees for checkout and the deli department.
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