Townsend’s only grocery store to close doors Oct. 31

It’s the end of an era in Townsend.

Mike’s Super Market, the northern Oconto County community’s only grocery store, will close its doors Oct. 31 after more than 40 years in the Janesch family.

Steve and Shelly Janesch have operated the store since 1997 and their sons, Clayton and Carter, worked there, as well as Steve’s brother, John. Steve and John’s parents, Mike and Marge Janesch, had purchased the store, located at 17887 State Highway 32, in 1982.

Shelly Janesch said the writing has been on the wall for years.

“It’s hard for independent grocers to make a go of it anymore,” she said. “You don’t have any purchasing power, and overhead just increases. Anyone that’s looked at it said there’s not enough volume here to continue, so we’re going to dissolve the groceries and sell the property.”

The Janesches plan to close the store Oct. 31.

“We’re selling as much inventory as we can,” Steve Janesch said. “We’ll end up doing blowout sales and clearance sales.”

“The equipment and everything is staying until we sell the building in case somebody wants the shelving,” Shelly Janesch said.

Several factors went into the decision, according to Steve Janesch.

“It was a very, very hard decision,” he said. “It’s the time commitment, the stress of everything, multiple things.”

He said he and his family have received support from the community once the decision to close was made.

“It was put on Facebook, and a lot of people have come in showing support and telling a lot of stories,” he said.

Before Mike and Marge Janesch purchased the store, it was known as Ehler’s Super Market at the current location.

“This side was the hardware store, and this side was the grocery store,” Steve Janesch said. “We’ve been talking about this for five years. The first two years, you try to sell through other warehouses, so not a lot of people know. The (for sale) sign has been out up front for the last three (years). People definitely knew that we wanted to move on to something else. Our kids are out of school and moved away. Both of us have parents that are getting up there, and we can’t be tied here seven days a week.”

Steve Janesch is originally from Townsend, and Shelly Janesch grew up in Crandon. The Janesches purchased the store 12 years ago.

“You get to know an awful lot of people in town,” Steve Janesch said. “I get some customers that have known me since I was 9 years old. They’re sad to see it go, but they also understand why it is.”

Small-town grocery stores are important to the communities they serve, he said.

In Townsend’s case, the store kept residents from having to travel to Lakewood’s grocery store six miles away or even further to Crandon, Rhinelander or Antigo.

“I can go into one of those stores and purchase certain items from companies like Frito-Lay, Pepsi or Coke cheaper than I can purchase from those companies, just because they’re corporate chains and they have corporate deals,” Steve Janesch said. “That’s hard, yet you do have a lot of locals that support you and get those things from you.”

Steve Janesch said he and his wife aren’t ready to retire.

“Too young,” he said. “I will be 54. The first plan is to take time off. After working seven days a week, you need some time off. We’ll stay in the area and both look for jobs.”

“If we went back, we would have done all of it over again,” the Janesches wrote in a farewell letter to customers. “As the Janesch family, we are eternally grateful for the last 44 years. I know the Townsend community will miss that little grocery store, but I also know that this community will support us through this big change.

“Who knows what the future holds for these walls. We are a little sad, very grateful and excited to see where the future takes us.”