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If you’re from Indiana, chances are you remember Marsh Supermarkets. For many, Marsh wasn’t just a grocery store- it was a huge part of our lives! My Grandpa Pop started out unloading railcars in high school and worked his way up to Warehouse Superintendent before his retirement. Over the years, most of my family worked there, too. For the longest time, Marsh was the only place we shopped. When the chain sold out, it felt like losing a piece of home.

Grandpa lived long enough to witness Marsh’s bitter end, including the sale of eleven stores to its longtime rival, Kroger. Just before he passed, I started drawing Marsh’s stores in Adobe Illustrator and shared a few with him. He loved them! Over time, I created enough illustrations to highlight the most significant stylistic shifts in Marsh’s lengthy history. It’s fascinating to see how each design echoed the trends and innovations of its era. Defining those eras, however, turned out to be more of an art than a science. Here’s the framework I eventually settled on. How many do you remember?

“Foodliner:” 1947 – 1957

Ermal Marsh was born to be a grocer. As a child, he drove a huckster wagon for his dad’s general stores in Jay and Randolph Counties¹. Later, he opened his first grocery, an IGA, in 1931 as a junior at Ball State Teachers College²! Ermal operated several stores early on, but his first supermarket, the Marsh “Foodliner,” opened in 1947.

The earliest Marsh Foodliners didn’t feature a unified design. A few were newly built, some were acquired by lease, and others were purchased and enlarged. Believe it or not, but the first Marsh in Kokomo was housed in an old livery stable³! Regardless of their heritage, the earliest Marsh stores often featured eye-popping green-and-yellow porcelain signage complete with neon tubes and chaser lights.

“Flagship:” 1956 – 1960s

After about a decade in business as Marsh Foodliners, Inc., the company began to unify its store designs when it expanded into Indianapolis. In 1957, the company opened a 24,000-square-foot “flagship” grocery at Keystone Avenue and 62nd Street⁴. 

Marsh built two more Indianapolis Foodliners that year, one at US 52 and Tibbs and another at Shelby and Hanna⁵. The company continued to expand at breakneck pace, as stores with the same general design opened in Huntington, Kokomo, Marion, Muncie, Tipton, Wabash, and Warsaw⁶.

“Arch:” 1961 – 1962

Marsh was dealt a major blow on August 7, 1959, when a horrific plane crash claimed the life of Ermal Marsh, company treasurer Spencer Deal, and Deal’s young daughter Jean. Ermal’s younger brother Estel became president of the company and oversaw a name change from Marsh Foodliners to Marsh Supermarkets⁷.

Soon after, Estel Marsh announced plans for a series of stores he felt would be among the most beautiful in the country⁸. At 16,500 square feet, the new breed of supermarkets featured prefabricated wooden arches that eliminated unsightly posts and columns⁹. In 1961, the first Marsh of its kind opened in Muncie to replace the company’s original Foodliner. Similar stores sprouted up in Indianapolis, Plainfield, and Fairborn, Ohio¹⁰.

“Traditional:” Early 1960s

Marsh deployed its arched supermarkets in select markets but continued to build and remodel other stores that featured the company’s “flagship” design through the 1960s. The company opened nine similar stores in 1961, and many featured its new diamond new logo.

Each measured around 15,000 square feet, which Marsh found to be the ideal size of the day. Throughout the early sixties, Indianapolis, Hartford City, Greencastle, Portland, Lawrence, Columbus, Lafayette, Marion, Fort Wayne, Bloomington, Winchester, Franklin, and twelve cities in Ohio all welcomed new “traditional” supermarkets¹¹.

“New Look/Mandarin:” Late 1960s

Marsh made waves when its Village Pantry subsidiary entered the fast-growing convenience store segment in 1966. Early pantries featured modified Dutch gable roofs, fluted brick walls, and expansive glass storefronts. Muncie architect George Cox was responsible for the design¹².

Two years later, Don E. Marsh, Ermal’s oldest son, was named president of Marsh Supermarkets. Soon after, the company began a pilot program of stores designed by Brand-Worth and Associates of Los Angeles that aped Village Pantry’s style. New stores were built bigger, and existing stores were expanded to 36,000 feet. The exterior appearance featured a “mandarin-shaped¹³” roof with shake shingles. Among other places, such supermarkets were built in Portland, Anderson, Muncie, Indianapolis, and Ohio.

“Mansard:” Early 1970s

Village Pantry embraced the trend of mansard roof facades in the early 1970s and introduced the distinctive design as a hallmark of their convenience stores. Marsh followed suit¹⁴, incorporating the same scheme into their newly constructed and remodeled locations. The shared design choice gave the two brands a cohesive aesthetic that reinforced their connection as part of the Marsh portfolio.

Characterized by its steeply sloping sides and flat top, the mansard design was more than a stylistic statement. It reflected the era’s architectural trends and blended functionality with curb appeal to draw in customers. For Village Pantry, the look set them apart from traditional, boxy convenience stores. For Marsh, it added a touch of modernity to their neighborhood markets.

“Combo/X-Tra:” Late 1970s – Early 1980s

In the late 1970s, Marsh pivoted to supermarkets it called Combo or X-Tra in some of the larger cities it called home. Early examples opened as older supermarkets were remodeled, but the first purpose-built store opened in 1977 on Burlington Drive in Muncie. Aside from groceries, each Combo/X-Tra store added automotive, hardware, photo, pharmacy, art, floral, and liquor departments¹⁵. 

Each of the new supermarkets measured about 35,700 square feet. Later examples, like the one in West Lafayette, approached 40,000! By 1982, nine of the one-stop shops operated as part of Marsh’s expansive offerings¹⁶! The company sold its drug stores later that year¹⁷, but the design proved long-lasting. Among others, former Marsh stores in Hartford City, Indianapolis, Muncie, and Tipton retain their original Combo/X-Tra design.

“New Taste:” Early 1980s

According to Don Marsh, stores built from about 1979 to 1982 represented “The New Taste For Supermarkets.” Outside, each 50,000-square-foot supermarket featured an angular greenhouse, projecting brick towers, and trapezoidal cutouts that were instantly identifiable. My family most often shopped at one just down the road.

Inside, each New Taste store was home to new features like an international cheese section, curving produce displays, a new Nutri-Guide program, and vibrant colors of display cases¹⁸. Although the first New Taste supermarket was built in Muncie on Bethel Avenue, others followed in Castleton and Carmel. 

“Happy Medium:” Late 1980s

After the New Taste era, Marsh was in full-on growth mode during most of the 1980s. New stores in Eaton, Hamilton, and Union City, Ohio, were accompanied by stores in Huntington, Indianapolis, and Kokomo. Replacement supermarkets were completed in Frankfort, Franklin, Greencastle, and Greenwood, and stores in Bloomington, Elwood, Marion, Muncie, Portland, and Zionsville were remodeled¹⁹.

Typically no larger than 30,000 square feet, the company’s new and expanded supermarkets adopted a “happy medium²⁰” approach that combined the upscale features of the “New Taste” stores with the practicality of moderately-sized groceries. Many showcased prominent pentagonal atriums that provided their aisles and registers with natural light.

“Superstore:” 1991

The first Marsh Superstore opened in Carmel in 1991, the same year the company reached $1 billion in annual revenue. At 76,000 square feet, the supermarket featured three times the variety of fresh food as a typical Marsh grocery. In fact, a third of its space was dedicated to fresh food! The store’s standout feature was a European-style produce department offering 400 items²¹.

The prototype Marsh Superstore also introduced unique features like ice-bedded seafood tables, open food-preparation stations visible to customers, and other innovative services²². Outside, it boasted a distinctive peaked facade, a spacious glass entryway, and elegant stone accents designed to complement its upscale surrounds.

“Fresh Store:” Mid-1990s

Marsh introduced its “Fresh Store” concept in the mid-90s with cavernous supermarkets measuring around 60,000 square feet. Inspired by the Marsh Superstore, each emphasized fresh produce showcased in European-style settings more than ever. A standout innovation of the Fresh Store was the simple use of wheeled produce displays, which enabled staff to easily rotate and reposition fruits and vegetables to maintain their freshness and appeal.

Fresh Stores built in Bloomington, Fishers, Indianapolis, and Muncie showcased designs that were understated but modern, complete with wide, welcoming lobbies. The Muncie location on Wheeling Avenue even stood out with a unique feature: Garnet’s Grill. Named after the company’s matriarch -Ermal’s wife- the take-out restaurant offered quick-serve meals to those who popped in on their way home²³.

“New Generation:” Late-1990s – Early-2000s

The first “New Generation” Marsh Supermarket debuted in 1998²⁴ and introduced an even fresher shopping experience within its expansive 80,000-square-foot²⁵ layout. New Generation stores focused on higher-margin offerings like ready-to-go meals, international cuisine, espresso, and even a sushi bar²⁶. One location in Carmel’s Merchants’ Square went a step further with a childcare center²⁷!

Beyond all that, New Generation supermarkets in Fishers and Carmel took innovation up a notch with self-checkout lanes. Another even introduced portable barcode scanners²⁸! Outside, the stores showcased a sleek, contemporary design with dark brick, arched entrances, hipped roofs, and dormer windows. Outside of Fishers and Carmel, New Generation stores also made their mark in Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, and Mooresville. 

“Lifestyle:” Early-2000s

Marsh introduced its groundbreaking “Lifestyle” stores in 2003. Marking a bold shift from their traditional designs²⁹, each supermarket welcomed shoppers with a diagonal entrance leading to a bright, airy courtyard flooded with natural light. The courtyard wasn’t just visually appealing: with fresh produce, a gourmet coffee bar, a variety of ethnic food items, and grab-and-go options, it was the heart of the store!

A ring of traditional departments arranged by category surrounded each store’s courtyard. One nook housed the bakery, another was home to the pharmacy, and frozen foods and bath and body products occupied their own crannies. Grocery analysts hailed the concept as revolutionary, but many shoppers found the layout disorienting³⁰. Nevertheless, Lifestyle stores popped up in Indianapolis, Noblesville, Fort Wayne, and Naperville, Illinois. A store in Marion was remodeled to reflect the new exterior style, and a new location in Pendleton was built with similar cues.

“Arthur’s Fresh Market:” Early-2000s

After introducing its first Lifestyle supermarket, Marsh took steps to enhance its newest Village Pantry outlets by equipping them with some of the conveniences typically found in full-size grocery stores. In 2004, the company took things a step further by unveiling a new concept that brought the two formats even closer together.

That year, the company debuted two 20,000-square-foot Arthur’s Fresh Market locations in Syracuse and New Palestine. Designed for affluent communities, the stores resembled smaller versions of Marsh’s Lifestyle supermarkets and offered a curated selection of groceries alongside sushi, wine, fresh produce, and prepared meals³¹. A third location was proposed for the former Atlas Supermarket site in Broad Ripple, but it never materialized³².

“Downtown:” 2014

By the turn of the twentieth century, Marsh had grown to operate 69 supermarkets, 38 LoBill Foods groceries, eight O’Malia Food Markets, the two Arthur’s, 154 Village Pantry quick-stops, and a range of other businesses like caterers and florists! Unfortunately, the company struggled to keep pace with the rapidly changing grocery landscape.

In 2006, the Marsh family sold the business to Sun Capital Partners for $88 million. The private investment firm closed scads of underperforming stores, but took a bold step by launching a new, supermarket on the ground floor of the $85 million Axis apartments in downtown Indianapolis³³. Measuring 43,000-square-feet, the store was the company’s first downtown supermarket in more than three decades³⁴! Unfortunately, it would go down in history as the last new Marsh store ever opened.

Marsh always faced fierce competition from Kroger, big-box retailers, warehouse clubs, and speciality stores. Unfortunately, it got worse under private ownership: after eleven turbulent years, Marsh’s presence dwindled to just forty-four supermarkets. In 2017, the company filed for bankruptcy. Today, Marsh’s legacy is now a mix of reinvention and decline.

Kroger and another Ohio grocer, Fresh Encounter, bought twenty-six of its stores and gave them a second life under new banners. Other locations have been repurposed as fitness centers, churches, and flea markets. Some were demolished entirely. Many still sit abandoned, their vacant shells a stark reminder of the hometown chain’s rise and fall.

Whether empty or repurposed, fifteen generations of Marsh supermarkets symbolize the end of an era for the communities that once thrived around them. Remembering Marsh’s heyday isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about valuing the role the company played in shaping Indiana’s identity. From its roots as a family-owned business to its position as a retail pioneer, the story of Marsh is a story worth preserving, sharing, and celebrating for generations to come. I know I always look back fondly when I spy a familiar design. Do you?

Sources Cited
1 Wilmer Marsh, Grocer for Many Years, Is Dead (1960, December 19). The Muncie Star. p. 3. 
2 Marsh Chain Has Small Rural Origin (1957, August 20). The Indianapolis News. p. 17.
3 Lasting Values: the First Half-Century of Marsh Supermarkets, Inc. (1984). Marsh Supermarkets [Yorktown]. Book. p. 27.
4 Marsh Chain Has Small Rural Origin (1957, August 20). The Indianapolis News. p. 17. 
5 Supermarket’s Debut in Keystone Court (1957, May 13). The Indianapolis News. p. 16. 
6 (See footnote 3).
7 Marsh Company Has New Name; State Approves (1960, August 7). The Anderson Herald-Bulletin. p. 8. 
8 Wooden Arches Used in New Store (1960, October 25). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 2. 
9 Announce New Marsh Foodliner (1960, July 3). The Muncie Star. p. 1.
10 Marsh Opens 72nd Store (1961, December 15). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 20.
11 (See footnote 3).
12 Marsh to Build in Southeast Muncie (1966, October 5). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 23.
13 Marsh Store Expansion Set (1968, December 20). The Muncie Star. p. 24. 
14 Village Pantry building to begin (1990, October 25). The Kokomo Tribune. p. 27.
15 A New Marsh Idea (1981, April 18). The Muncie Star Press. p. 11. 
16 Marsh Dividend (1982, December 3). The Muncie Star Press. p. 26. 
17 Marsh Sales Up (1982, January 26). The Muncie Star Press. p. 13. 
18 Marsh to Open Another Supermarket, Drug Store Here (1979, May 28). The Muncie Star. p. 1. 
19 (See footnote 3).
20 (See footnote 3).
21 Marsh Supermarkets hits $1 billion mark (1991, November 7). The Kokomo Tribune. p. 12. 
22 Dinnen, S.P. (1991, November 5. Marsh begins fast expansion. The Indianapolis Star. p. 37. 
23 Cheesman, M.(1995, August 4). ‘Part of the foundation’. The Muncie Star. p. 1. 
24 Gates, L. (1998, August 5). Marsh utilizing technology. The Noblesville Ledger. p. 1. 
25 Marsh to open new ‘stock-up’ food market (1999, March 3). The Indianapolis Star. p. 21. 
26 Pierson, S. (1998, August 5). Marsh making investors happy. The Indianapolis Star. p. 23. 
27 Powell, L. (1998, June 20). 16-year-old Marsh store will close, reopen at Merchants’ Square Site. The Indianapolis Star. p. 3. 
28 (See footnote 24).
29 Swan, R. (2004, June 24). Lost In The Kitchen? The Indianapolis Star. p. 70. 
30 Hisrch, S. A. (2005, February 16). Traditional aisles are gone, central produce area is in. The Indianapolis Star. p. 73. 
31 Wall, J. (2004, October 3). Marsh hopes smaller means better. The Indianapolis Star. p. 55.
32 Farewell, Atlas – here comes Arthur’s (2005, July 6). The Indianapolis Star. p. 33. 
33 Scheer, R. (2014, May 23). Raise a glass to the new Downtown Marsh. The Indianapolis Star. p. D6. 
34 McCleery, B. (2014, May 16). New Marsh draws crowds. The Indianapolis Star. p. A4.