Type your search term: MENU History Home | About | History Reflecting on 80 years The first Fareway Store opened for business at 624 Story Street in Boone, Iowa, on May 12, 1938. Fareway's concept of a self-service grocery store was considered revolutionary, allowing shoppers to pick out their own groceries rather than submitting a list to someone who would package everything for them. Shopping carts were a novelty, referred to as "rubber-tired gliders" that carried shopping baskets. Our first ad featured coffee at 14 cents a pound and a "regular package" of Wheaties for 10 cents. Even then, our commitment to only selling USDA Choice beef was evident, with offerings of USDA Choice sirloin or t-bone steaks for 25 cents a pound. Our founder's vision The store opening was a dream realized for founder Paul S. Beckwith. Paul was a meat supervisor for one of the country's largest grocery chains for a number of years, but over time he noticed a gradual shift in how employees and customers were being treated. Paul envisioned what it would be like to again work where happy employees served satisfied customers. He shared his dream with several others, including Fred E. Vitt, a merchant and patient teacher who had earned a reputation of being fair with customers and employees. When Fareway was launched, Fred was named Boone store manager as well as vice president of the Fareway organization. The Boone store proved to be a great success. The company's corporate headquarters operated in Boone, with additional store locations soon added in Ames, Webster City, Fort Dodge, Estherville, Carroll, and Oelwein. When it came to choosing where the next Fareway would be built, Paul was fond of saying "follow the black dirt" because he believed the company's values were in perfect sync with those living in the country's Midwest - people who were hard-working, understood the value of a dollar, and to whom family was everything. Paul's granddaughter, P. Sue Beckwith, MD, is the current Fareway Chairman of the Board. What's in a name? The name Fareway was originally chosen to convey several meanings: A wide range of "fare", or foods; A "bill of fare", a commonly used phrase for grocery list; and Treating customers and employees fairly. This "fare way" to do business just made sense, and it's a key reason why Fareway continues to grow and flourish. Fareway celebrates 80 years On May 12, 2018, Fareway celebrated its 80th anniversary. As the company reflected on its rich history of providing unmatched, full-service meat departments, farm-fresh produce, competitive prices, and the highest level of customer service, Fareway released a series of new logo designs. For more than 80 years, Fareway has been known for its iconic Shield of Quality trademark. With a nod towards this historic design, our commitment to providing excellent retail grocery store services, and a fresh perspective for the future, the following designs were born. One of the new logos prominently features Fareway, with the words meat and grocery, which acknowledge the foundation and continued focus of the organization in the retail grocery industry. A new shield of quality icon, utilizes an outline of the historic shield imagery, and marks product that is high in quality and value. This mark is a seal of Fareway’s commitment to excellence and can be seen on key items in our retail grocery stores, such as product from our meat markets. The third logo incorporates our iconic shield and serves to carry forward the design into the future. This logo is used to represent the Fareway corporation and its ongoing mission to provide unmatched meat and grocery services in a retail setting. Looking forward to the next 80 years (and beyond) Today, Fareway is one of the largest employers in Iowa. We currently operate more than 120 store locations in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota, with more store openings coming soon. As we look to the future, our growth is limited only by our ability to find the right people to staff our locations. People who embrace Fareway's values and philosophy; who truly enjoy serving others, are always willing to give the little extra it takes to succeed, and believe that no deal is a good deal unless it's good for everyone concerned. At Fareway, we look forward to serving you and your family for many years to come. SHARE THIS Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin on Pinterest Email This Page HOME ABOUT LEAD WITH LOVE PROMOTIONS CONTACT US Connect with us on social media! © 2021 Fareway Stores, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sitemap Potential Suppliers Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions COVID Updates WEB DEVELOPMENT BY