Mascoutah won’t lose its only grocery store, thanks to family’s battle to save it
Mascoutah residents were braced for the possibility that they might lose their only grocery store, but now that isn’t going to happen.
Tom’s Supermarket is being replaced by Betty Ann Market.
Craig Norrenberns, 33, and his wife, Lauren, bought the store’s building and other assets last week from his uncles, Don and John Norrenberns, whose company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December. The sale was announced at Mascoutah’s homecoming over the weekend.
Craig and Lauren are planning a major renovation, inside and out, beginning in January. They expect to spend a year on it, working in phases while continuing to operate.
“We’ll be replacing everything,” Craig said Sunday. “Really, the goal is for people to pull into the parking lot and feel like it’s a brand-new store.”
Craig is a grandson of the late Tom Norrenberns and his wife, Betty Ann, 85, who bought the old Mascoutah Tom-Boy Market in 1978, changed the name to Tom’s Tom-Boy, Tom’s IGA and finally Tom’s Supermarket and moved the store to its current location in 1983.
Don and John, two of Tom and Betty Ann’s six children, took over the company, Norrenberns Foods, in 1996. By then, it was a small grocery chain.
After the recent bankruptcy filing, Don assured local residents that the legal action didn’t necessarily mean the Mascoutah store would close but noted that organizational changes could result in a new owner.
This week, Craig praised his uncles for fighting to save the business, despite great obstacles and personal hardship.
“They could have taken the easy road and gave the keys to the bank and walked away,” Craig said. “But they chose to do everything they could keep the jobs and the store open for the community.”
Roots go back to 1930
The Tom’s Supermarket story really began in 1930, when Tom’s father, Ben Norrenberns, opened a small butcher shop in Albers. That’s where Tom got his start in the food business.
Tom worked as a meat cutter at several metro-east grocery stores before opening his own in Mascoutah more than 44 years ago. He and Betty Ann later expanded with 11 other locations in southern Illinois.
For years, they partnered with son T.J. Norrenberns. Then Don and John got more involved, and T.J. struck out on his own, buying Red Bud IGA in 1995 and Millstadt IGA in 2007.
By 2016, the Norrenbernses had closed all but three Tom’s Supermarket locations, including some with unionized employees. That created millions of dollars in “withdrawal liability” to a multi-employer pension fund of the United Food and Commercial Workers, according to the family.
In 2018, Don spoke of “crushing” costs related to the fund when announcing that he and John were closing two more stores, Freeburg and Nashville.
“That’s something we had hoped to avoid,” Don stated at the time. “Letting go of these stores has been very emotional. We love the people we serve, and the talented team that works with us.”
Columbia developer Joe Koppeis and his business partner, Kathy Nordike, filled the gap in Freeburg and Nashville by opening Country Mart locations in former Tom’s Supermarket buildings.
In December, Norrenberns Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in federal bankruptcy court for the Southern District of Illinois. Chief Judge Laura Grandy handed down a decision that allowed Don and John’s nephew to buy the Mascoutah store’s building and assets without taking on the pension fund liability.
“It essentially saved the store from closing and saved all the jobs from being lost,” Craig said.
Journalism and groceries
Craig Norrenberns spent much of his childhood at the Red Bud and Millstadt IGA stores owned by his father, T.J. He studied journalism at Southwestern Illinois College, worked in Christian radio and returned to the family business about 10 years ago. He now serves as company director.
Craig and Lauren live with their sons, Dean, 2, and Wade, 5, in an east Belleville subdivision that’s part of Mascoutah school district.
The couple’s renovation plans at Betty Ann Market include remodeling but also replacing all coolers and other equipment, which were bought second-hand in 1983, when Tom’s Supermarket moved to 95 Mascoutah Plaza Drive.
“There’s not a single piece of equipment in the store that’s worth saving,” Craig said.
The couple also will enlarge the business from 14,000 to 21,000 square feet after Stars R Us Dance Studio, which had been renting space from Tom’s, moves to a new location.
Tom’s had about 35 employees. All are being kept on at Betty Ann Market, as is longtime manager Mike Klein, now store director. Mike also is Mascoutah Chamber of Commerce president.
Craig expects to add another eight to 10 employees as the store expands.
Don and John won’t be involved with Betty Ann Market, except as customers. Don will continue with his other job as business manager at Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church in Mascoutah. John will teach physical education part time at Holy Childhood School.
Don is adjusting to a new reality this week after 36 years in the grocery business. The 64-year-old started working full time at Tom’s in 1986 after five years as a U.S. Army officer.
“We have this profound sense of gratitude,” Don said Monday, his voice filled with emotion. “You can’t help but look back and see all the blessings that God has bestowed on us over the years.
“We got to work side by side with family, we had great employees and we were able to serve a community that we love. We have zero bitterness.”
This story was originally published August 9, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
