Mike’s Supermarket to Close After 44 Years in Townsend

TOWNSEND – After serving the Townsend community for 44 years, the Janesch family has announced that Mike’s Supermarket, located at 17887 State Highway 32 in Townsend, will close and the building will be sold.

The store’s final day of business is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2026. Beginning Monday, October 5, store hours for the remainder of the month will be 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Mike’s Supermarket will discontinue its bakery operations after Saturday, October 3.

Mike Janesch’s dream of owning a grocery store became a reality in June 1982 after he had worked for Kohl’s Food Store since the age of 16. Mike and his wife, Marge, operated the Townsend store together while raising their two sons, John and Steve.

In 1997, Steve and his wife, Shelly, returned to continue the family business. They also raised their sons, Clayton and Carter, around the store, where both continue to help whenever they can.

Throughout the years, members of the Janesch family worked alongside relatives, friends and employees while handling the many responsibilities of operating a small-town grocery store. Their days included ordering and stocking merchandise, scheduling employees, preparing advertisements, paying bills, hiring and training staff, and dealing with equipment breakdowns and internet outages.

The work brought long days, sleepless nights, quiet moments and periods of sheer chaos, but it also created plenty of laughter, treasured memories and lasting friendships.

The family said the decision to close was not an easy one. Their lives were built around the daily demands of Mike’s Supermarket, often requiring shortened vacations, missed family outings and less time with loved ones.

After operating the store for the past 29 years, Steve and Shelly said the time has come to find a better balance between work, family and friends. Following five years of trying to sell the business, the family decided to dissolve the grocery store and sell the building.

The property is listed with Tina Taylor of Integrity Realtors, LLC. Interested buyers may contact Taylor at 715-902-0233.

The store’s equipment and shelving are not being sold separately at this time. If the building is sold, the family will first determine whether the buyer is interested in purchasing the equipment and shelving before deciding how to proceed.

Although the closing brings sadness, the Janesch family remains grateful for the friendships, employees and community support that made the past 44 years so meaningful. They are also hopeful about what the future may hold for themselves and the building that has housed the longtime community business.

The Janesch family said they have been overwhelmed by the many kind words, expressions of support and well wishes they have received. They thanked their customers and the entire Townsend community for their support throughout the years.

The family plans to remain in the area and looks forward to continuing to see the friends and neighbors who have been part of their lives and the history of Mike’s Supermarket.