ANITA, Iowa - The grocery stores that lined Main Street were always key to the
little farm town of Anita, Iowa.
At one time, four groceries met the needs of the large families who lived in
the
town and surrounding areas. Maxine Christensen recalls the horses that farmers
once hitched behind her family's general store.
"Grocery stores were a staple of town," said the 85-year-old Christensen.
Times have changed as Anita's population dwindled and larger competitors
arrived,
but the final market remained so important that its pending closure spurred
residents to buy shares and create a grocery cooperative...