McNiel’s Grocery
Kenneth and Lena McNiel purchased a grocery store from Don Elliott in late May, 1949. When Kenneth died suddenly on June 3, 1955, Lena continued managing the store for an Lumber yard operated by L. Gilchrist 1885 until 1919. 67 additional 12 years. Lena’s children, Harold and Lois, as well as several employees, helped. Stock for the store was purchased from Witwers and Nash Finch in Cedar Rapids and later Mulls in Muscatine.
Meat was purchased from Raths and Wilsons. When a side of beef was delivered, it was taken to the Center Point Locker Plant, which was owned by Paul and Opal Johnson. The Locker would cut and grind the meat into hamburger for sale in the store.
Harold and mother, Lena McNiel, behind the counter at McNiel’s Grocery around 1960.
Eggs were purchased from farmers. The McNiels candled the eggs. The eggs that weren’t sold over the counter were sold to Ray Schrunk.
Lois recently visited with a member of the Johnson family who lived in Rock Island as a youth. He remembered that his dad would buy a whole case of “unusual” brown eggs from the store. In exchange, his dad would bring a case of “unusual” yellow margarine from Illinois. Iowa didn’t have colored margarine at the time.
Lois remembers another time when her brother was sent to the basement to sack potatoes. Terry Tull, a schoolmate, decided to play a prank and shut the trap door, locking Harold in the basement. Their mother was very hard of hearing so she couldn’t hear Harold yelling. Terry went back to school, but later he called Lena and told her to let Harold out of the basement.
On Friday, May 26, 1967, the family held a public auction to liquidate the store. Lois remembers that the next day was her mother’s 66th birthday; it seemed strange for her mother not to go to work.
Irvin Sweeting salvaged the screen door with a metal Colonial Bread sign attached from the store. Darwin hung the screen between his house and garage. Irvin gave Lois two panels from the inner door. She painted fruit on the panels and hung them in the kitchen.
-- Lois McNiel