It 45 Years Since Bob Dierberg Opened His First 'Dierbergs'

In what has become nearly local legend, in 1967 the 20-something Bob Dierberg opened his first grocery store, just after a tornado blasted through town. 

Now, Dierbergs celebrates 45 years since the opening on Olive at Woods Mill roads. The store has been expanded and remodeled since that time, but holds a special place in Dierbergs history. 

Dierberg met his wife-to-be at the store—customer Sharon Martel asked where to find Tang, the drink of astronauts. They married in 1968.

Dierberg had learned the grocery business right out of college (1961) from Uncle Fred at the Creve Coeur Dierbergs four miles away. By 1967, Bob Dierberg wanted to branch out.

To open his own new store, Bob Dierberg borrowed employee Marion Coyle from Uncle Fred's store, and made her "head checker." 

Coyle worked from the Customer Center inside the store, overseeing cashiers (checkers), money drawers, checks, phone calls and other customer needs.

"Sometimes, I would be over in the liquor department, if they needed me there," Coyle said.

At the time, the liquor department was just inside the front door where the extensive deli is now located. The Courtesy Center was located where the produce is today.

After opening the store and working closely with the young store manager for several months, Coyle learned she was apparently indispensible.

"Mr. Bob wanted to keep me at his store," Coyle said. But what about Mr. Fred?

"I liked both of them," Coyle said. Coyle went on to work 24 years , 28 years total .

"I really felt like part of the family. It was fun," Coyle said. Now 87, Coyle said she retired in 1991 to care for her husband.

Coyle returned to the store Saturday, to greet customers during this 45th anniversary of its opening.

Longtime and loyal Dierbergs customer Roz Gad, 81, showed up at the store Saturday to shop, and visit with Coyle. The two chatted, and remembered other employees from earlier days—the fellow in produce, a cashier.

"I was here the first day, when the store opened," Gad said Saturday. "I won a bag of groceries." That was January 25, 1967.

The night before, January 24, 1967 while Dierbergs employees met to prepare for opening day, an F4 tornado blew by the store, nearly ripping off the doors until staff wrestled them closed, and locked them.

The twister bypassed the brand new store, but did touch down just to the west at River Bend Estates.

Dierbergs opened the following day, on schedule, 45 years ago.

There are now 23 Dierbergs in the St. Louis area.