Marsh name makes return (02/09/08)

After an absence of more than a decade, a familiar name has returned to Jay County with the re-christening of the Portland LoBill Foods as Marsh Hometown Market.

The Marsh family first entered the grocery business in southern Jay and northern Randolph counties.

In 1922, Wilmer Marsh opened a grocery and general store in North Salem, also known as Salem, in Madison Township. But that venture came to a halt in 1925 when Marsh was injured during a hold-up.

In 1927, Marsh tried again, opening a new store in New Pittsburg, just south of the Jay-Randolph county line. That store proved successful, and a new store was opened in Ridgeville in 1929.

A Muncie store was opened in 1930, and Marsh Supermarkets Inc. was incorporated in 1933.

Portland's Marsh store was originally located on East Main Street in a building that is now the home of Sertech Heating and Cooling. In the 1960s, it relocated to a building that most recently was the site of Community Home Improvement.

In the 1990s, the store moved to its current location. At that time, the Marsh name was dropped, a move that was decried by local shoppers who knew the company's historic ties to east central Indiana.

Today, the company is owned by MSH Supermarkets Inc., an affiliate of Sun Capital, which acquired it in 2006. It is headquartered in Indianapolis and has 15,000 employees. It is also the parent company of Village Pantry.

To celebrate the store conversion, a staff meet-and-greet session was held Thursday morning at the store. LoBill Foods stores in Union City, Ohio, Wabash, Peru and Noblesville also changed names.

As part of the name changes, about $1 million was spent to make improvements to the stores.

Looking for proposals

As a multi-million dollar renovation effort nears completion, John Jay Center for Learning is seeking a restaurateur or retailer to set up shop on the northwest corner of its new home at Main and Meridian streets in Portland.

JJCL has sent out a request for proposals for use of an approximately 1,900-square foot space.

The space will be partially-finished as part of the renovation project, which is in its final stages. The finishing touches, some at the renter/lessee's expense, will be done when a project is selected by the John Jay board of directors.

Proposals will be considered on the basis of several factors, including:

•Rent per square foot offered. Proposals should include monthly rent, with a one-year initial lease. Tenant will pay utilities.

•Use of the proposed space and its compatibility with the John Jay mission.

•Plans for improvement and upgrade of the space.

•Hours of operation.

•Timetable for improvements and opening.

•Experience, reputation and track record of tenants.

Proposals should be submitted by March 1 to John Jay Center for Learning, 111 N. Meridian St., Portland, IN, 47371.

For more information, contact JJCL executive director Rob Weaver at (260) 729-5525.

Suit filed

Several Mercer County residents have filed a lawsuit against the local zoning appeals board that approved a zoning variance, allowing an ethanol plant to be built in that county.

The suit was filed in Mercer County Common Pleas Court against the East Jefferson Township Board of Zoning Appeals and Mercer Energy. Filing the suit were Jill and Larry Myers, Jim and Barb Dabbelt, Valerie Vermillion, and John and Michelle Kishler.

The request approved by the board allowed a height variance needed for the project.

The suit claims that board chairman Jonny Dicke, who previously excused himself because of conflict of interest, controlled the conduct of the meetings and decided when the discussions would be held. The suit also alleges that discussions on the request were held in private.

Speech planned

An Adams County official will be giving his State of the County address at an upcoming meeting of the Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce.

Adams County Commissioner Doug Bauman will give the address.

The meeting will take place Tuesday at noon in the Geneva Town Hall, 411 E. Line St. Cost of the meal is $6.

To make a reservation, call (260) 368-9534.

Wellness center planned

Swiss Village Retirement Community, Berne, plans to develop a wellness pavilion in honor of two citizens who were killed in a car accident last year.

The Arthur and Gloria Muselman Wellness Pavillion is expected to be 21,202-square feet and located in Berne. Retirement community residents and the public will have access to the facilities and programs.

The facilities are expected to include an aquatic center, a fitness area, floor exercise space, a game room and a lounge area.

Earns award

A former local financial service professional has earned Woodbury Financial Services' Eagle's Circle award.

Randy Kistler, who has 14 years experience in the financial services industry, earned the honor. He works at the Berne office of Woobury.[[In-content Ad]]