At first glance, 2901 West Jackson Street in Muncie might seem like just another nondescript office building. It is, but a surprisingly rich history lies behind its auburn walls. Back in the early 1960s, the structure was home to one of Marsh’s most modern supermarkets. It was built as part of a wave of sleek, arched-roof stores that redefined how the company approached selling groceries. Long after its grand opening, the store remained a neighborhood favorite. I can still remember shopping there with my family, unaware that one day I’d be writing about it as a piece of local history!
Marsh was still a young enterprise in 1959 when it suffered a devastating loss. On August 7th, a tragic plane crash took the lives of founder Ermal Marsh, company treasurer Spencer Deal, and Deal’s young daughter, Jean. In the wake of the tragedy, Ermal’s younger brother, Estel, stepped in as company president. Under his leadership, the company renamed itself from Marsh Foodliners to Marsh Supermarkets1. Determined to carry s new vision forward, Estel soon unveiled plans for the next generation of stores- ones he promised would be among the most beautiful in the country2.
Spanning 16,500 square feet, the next wave of Marsh supermarkets introduced prefabricated wooden arches that did away with the clutter of posts and columns to create a more open and inviting shopping experience3. The first of them debuted in 1961 in Muncie and replaced the company’s original Foodliner. The design caught on quickly, with strikingly similar stores soon rising elsewhere4.
Muncie’s newest Marsh featured a light atmosphere thanks to the natural wood color of its ceiling, pastel walls, murals highlighting the store’s different departments, and colorful display cases measuring 298 feet. “Muncie has always supported our stores and has helped to make our success and expansion possible,” said Estel Marsh. “We have tried to include features in the new store which our customers have asked for5.”
The new Marsh became the anchor of a five-acre shopping center that eventually included a Rotz drugstore6 that was later rebranded as Marsh, and eventually as Rite Aid. The supermarket stood right across the road from the second-ever Village Pantry and served the community for decades. Unfortunately, the distinctive store closed in late 1996 along with another location at 3910 W. Bethel Avenue. Both were replaced by a sprawling 65,000-square-foot megastore at 715 S. Tillotson Avenue. Today, that building houses a Pay Less supermarket.
After its closure, the old Marsh supermarket on Jackson Street found new life as a hub for mock disaster drills, auctions, and closeout sales. In 1999, plans by Cardinal Health System to convert the space into administrative offices fell through7. In 2006, however, the 45-year-old building got a second wind when it reopened as Ball Memorial Hospital’s bariatric center8. Today, it continues to serve the community as IU Health’s Medical Office Building.
Muncie’s former Marsh Supermarket stands out for its unique second life, but other arched-roof Marsh buildings still survive in various communities. In Fountain Square, the Goodwill store on Shelby Street once housed a Marsh. In Plainfield, the Great Lakes Ace Hardware on Main Street is another repurposed example. One more, quietly tucked away at 1066 Kauffman Avenue in Fairborn, Ohio, still stands, but it’s vacant as far as I can tell. Complete with a new facade, you’d never guess its history from the street.
Sources Cited
1 Marsh Company Has New Name; State Approves (1960, August 7). The Anderson Herald-Bulletin. p. 8.
2 Wooden Arches Used in New Store (1960, October 25). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 2.
3 Announce New Marsh Foodliner (1960, July 3). The Muncie Star. p. 1.
4 Marsh Opens 72nd Store (1961, December 15). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 20.
5 Marsh Westside Store to Open on Thursday (1961, February 20). The Muncie Star. p. 3.
6 Loy, B. (1961, February 22). New Marsh Store to Open on Thursday. The Muncie Evening Press. p. 15.
7 Francisco, B. (1999, August 2). Cardinal building projects progressing. The Muncie Star Press. p. 18.
8 Bariatric Center open house (2006, August 7). The Muncie Star Press. p. 14.
