100 YEARS OLD
CENTENNIAL 1855-1955

Tom Ruppelt, who was last to own Steamboat Rock’s ice business, and later owned a meat market, sold his store on Market Street to Roger Gast in Nov. 1955. Roger and his wife Merriem operated the business for the next eight and a half years when they sold it in May of 1964, to John and Harriet Burns. 

John and Harriet came from Iowa Falls, and operated the store, and expanded the grocery line. 

In October of 1972, Burns Grocery was destroyed by a terrible fire. Of course it was the only grocery store the town had at the time and the community feared that the Bruns would not re-open. 

The Burns did consider not reopening when they took into account the cost of repairing the fire ravaged building, and replacing the stock which was a complete loss. 

The Legion had purchased the long empty former doctor’s office on Market Street for their meeting place just a short time before. The Legion members were determined to save the community grocery store and offered the building for rent to the Burns if they would re-open their store there. 

The Bruns agreed and opened once again at their new location next to the Green Door. 

Tom Ruppelt who first opened his store in the location that the Burns were forced out of by fire did so because he was burned out by the 1926 fire on market street. The interesting part is that the building he moved into at the time was also the Legion building at the time.