Riesbeck's History and Values

The organization known today as Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. began as a result of a family tragedy. In 1921, Clement Riesbeck died unexpectedly.  His wife, Margaret Schumacher Riesbeck, survived him along with their five children:  Charles, Marguerite, Paul, Mary, and Bernard.  The family relocated from Martins Ferry, Ohio, to Woodsfield, Ohio, because the Woodsfield/Monroe County area was home to the Schumacher side of the family.  As a means to support her young family, “Grandma” Riesbeck opened the first “corner grocery” store in Woodsfield in 1926. 

The family returned to Martins Ferry in 1928, after the oldest son Charles graduated from Woodsfield High School. Charles enjoyed considerable advancement at A&P, which operated a number of grocery stores in the Ohio Valley at the time.  He may well have been the youngest A&P store manager ever at age 18. Paul also worked in the food industry with the Kroger Company. In 1932, Grandma opened the first "Riesbeck's" on Zane Highway in Martins Ferry. This is where daughter Marguerite got involved in the grocery business. In 1934, Charles left A&P to fulfill a dream of owning his own Riesbeck’s store in Martins Ferry on Grant Avenue.

In 1936, Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. was formally chartered as an Ohio corporation. Grandma and her five children became the founding stockholders. At the time, the company owned four stores in Martins Ferry on Zane Highway, Grant Avenue, Park Street, and Catawba.  The family strived to ensure that Riesbeck’s would be the best place to work and the best place to shop. 

Riesbeck’s opened several additional neighborhood grocery stores during the 1940’s. Near the turn of the decade, Riesbeck’s had stores in Yorkville, Flushing, Steubenville, Bellaire, Shadyside, Smithfield, St. Clairsville, Dillonvale, Barnesville, and Mount Pleasant, as well as the four original stores in Martins Ferry. During this time, Grandma Riesbeck, her five children, and two sons-in-law were all active employees.

The company first entered the “supermarket age” in 1958 with a new 5,000 sq. ft. store in Woodsfield. The Riesbeck family recognized the changing patterns of customers during the post-war era, so they decided to place emphasis on supermarket growth as opposed to further expansion in neighborhood grocery stores. The supermarket was not only a larger facility, but offered expanded product variety, extended store hours, and customer parking. 

Riesbeck’s opened a supermarket in St. Clairsville in 1962 and one in Barnesville in 1972.  The land and buildings of the company’s three supermarkets were all owned by Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. 

The transition from small stores to supermarkets caused Riesbeck’s to gradually close their neighborhood stores throughout the late 1960’s and 1970’s. Beloved company founder Margaret “Grandma” Riesbeck passed away in 1970. She left behind a strong foundation for a growing company.

Riesbeck’s entered the Cambridge, Ohio market in 1982 with the acquisition of two supermarkets previously owned by Thorofare Corporation. The company further expanded in 1985, opening its first store in West Virginia. The 30,000 sq. ft. supermarket was opened in Elm Grove. 

In 1989, one of the Cambridge supermarkets was replaced with a new store located in a former discount store building. This facility had all of the traditional supermarket departments, as well as new ventures in pharmacy, floral, video, and expanded non-food areas. It was considered the flagship of Riesbeck's concept of a complete shopping facility.  The Deli Department’s catering later began to thrive with the help of a delivery van.

Riesbeck's Mor For Less division was created in 1992.  The two locations chosen for the high volume, low-turn, and low-price stores were Cambridge Southgate and the former Busack’s store in Bellaire.  The limited assortment retail format of Mor For Less offers cost-conscious consumers an alternative to traditional supermarkets.

Riesbeck’s new 60,000 sq. ft. superstore in St. Clairsville anchored development of the city’s west side.  Opened in 1993, the store includes a pharmacy, and outdoor garden area, video rentals, and a “power aisle” for special displays.

Riesbeck's entered the Zanesville, Ohio market in 1994 with the first Riesbeck’s Pick'n Save store on Howard Street. This warehouse-type store extended the company's operating geography 25 miles westward.   

Also in 1994, the company began renovation on the original St. Clairsville store to convert it to the new corporate office.  Corporate headquarters moved from its downtown Wheeling location to the newly remodeled 19,000 sq. ft. office building in March 1995.  The St. Clairsville location has ample office space, as well as a modern Training Room, which accommodates approximately 150 people.

In 1996, Riesbeck's renovated the former Shadyside IGA building and opened its “Village Market” there in December. The store emphasizes fresh foods and is the company’s first location to operate as a Village Market.

Riesbeck’s returned to its roots and opened a Mor For Less store in Woodsfield, Ohio, in July 1998.  Shoppers in Woodsfield can choose between a traditional Riesbeck’s, as well as the limited assortment format of the Mor For Less. 

In 1998, Riesbeck’s updated the corporate office’s computer network and accounting software. The increased speed of business made this new technology necessary. Riesbeck’s remodeled its Elm Grove, West Virginia location in 2000. The company redesigned the store’s front-end and added 10,000 sq. ft. to the building to allow for a larger perishable area.

Riesbeck’s also remodeled its Cambridge location in 2000 and 2001, adding 10,000 sq. ft. to the store. This allowed for expanded deli, produce, and bakery departments, as well as a pharmacy drive-thru.

In 2000, Riesbeck’s announced the ground-up construction of a 53,000 sq. ft. store in South Zanesville. The Riesbeck’s Pick’n Save store held its grand opening in October 2001. The company added a drive-thru pharmacy in 2003. The store is a larger version of the other Zanesville Riesbeck’s Pick’n Save located on Howard Street.

Riesbeck’s opened its second store in West Virginia in Follansbee in September 2001. It follows the same format as other Mor For Less stores, with the addition of more specialty foods for the Italian heritage prevalent in the area, as well as deli grab’n go items. The company began renovation on the former Big Bear store in Wintersville, Ohio in April 2004. The Riesbeck’s store opened in June 2004, complete with deli, meat, and traditional supermarket departments and a full-service bakery. The store added a pharmacy in December, making it the fifth Riesbeck’s pharmacy.  In order to better serve the community, the pharmacy offers monthly health fairs, as well as traditional pharmacy offerings.

In June 2005, the company announced the ground-up construction of a new, 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Bridgeport, Ohio.  In June of 2006, the new store opened under the conventional Riesbeck’s banner.  Serving Bridgeport and surrounding communities, this fourteenth addition to the Riesbeck family of stores offers full lines of fresh meat, deli, and produce items in addition to a drive-thru, full service pharmacy.

Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. has grown to consist of 14 stores and six pharmacies.  The company serves customers in seven counties in Ohio and West Virginia and has over 1,200 employees. Although Riesbeck Food Markets, Inc. has an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Riesbeck family members are still actively involved in the company.

Riesbeck’s has changed a great deal since Grandma started the company long ago, but she would surely agree that Riesbeck’s continues to be the best place to work and the best place to shop.

OUR VISION

Our Vision is a most positive food and supermarket experience for our customers in a company culture which creates a meaningful quality of life opportunity for owners, employees-associates and all stakeholders.  The levels of quality, service and value provided to our customers and to one another exceed expectations.