Rural Grocery Spotlight: Rural Grocer of the Year Finalists
The 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit Committee is excited to present the Rural Grocer of the Year Award at the 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit! Across the board, grocers deserve recognition and thanks for all they do for our communities. This award recognizes independent rural grocers (owners and/or managers) who have demonstrated excellence in community engagement, innovation, customer service, and more. Read about our award finalists below and join us for the evening reception on Wednesday, May 6th at Brewhalla as we announce the winner of this award at the 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit!
Finalist: Bonnie Maas, Bonnie's Hometown Grocery, Clinton, MN
Bonnie Maas has owned Bonnie's Hometown Grocery for over 20 years in rural Clinton, Minnesota (population 371). She makes Main Street shine with her lovely historic store. She invests in her store, lovely greenhouses, and the community. Bonnie collaborates with the University pf Minnesota on experiments, like testing backhauling local foods from farm country, and reviewing Extension Fact Sheets and surveys, and serving as a media contact for rural grocery issues from state to national media outlets. Bonnie is a fixture in the community and contributes to the wellbeing of the people in the community through providing a gathering place for community members. Bonnie exemplifies the best of community engaged Main Street anchors.
Finalist: Meta Jo Riseling, Walsh Community Grocery, Walsh, CO
As store manager of Walsh Community Grocery in Walsh, Colorado, Meta Jo operates a community-owned cooperative in a town of roughly 500 people located more than 30 miles from the nearest large grocery store. Under her leadership, the store provides stable jobs, delivers medications to isolated residents, supports nearby school districts in shared procurement, and serves as a dependable access point for essential resources. Meta Jo has been a driving force in expanding access to fresh, affordable, local food; leading the implementation of nutrition incentives for SNAP shoppers; and building relationships with regional farmers and ranchers to bring Colorado-grown products into Walsh despite significant logistical barriers. Her leadership shows how rural grocers can strengthen local economies, improve public health, and sustain community resilience in even the most challenging conditions.
Finalist: Emily and Kaden Roush, Main Street Mercantile, Lebanon, KS
In 2023, community-minded entrepreneurs Emily and Kaden Roush purchased their community's local grocery store, which was in disrepair, and utilized their creative community-building, grant writing, and fundraising skills to completely remodel and reopen the store as Main Street Mercantile. This effort provided essential access to local and healthy food for their rural community with a population of 181. Their new store is full-service, including a full butcher counter, fresh produce, all the staple items, and an abundance of locally grown and processed meats. As family farmers themselves at R Family Farms, they partner with other local producers to aggregate and sell locally grown pork, chicken, beef, bison, elk, turkey, and other products. They provide critical jobs for local residents and create a community feel in their store, making it a gathering place.