In 1854, the nation's 14^th president, Franklin Pierce, was in office and St. Louis was becoming one of the country's busiest ports. It was home to a booming factory and foundry industry as steamboats carried supplies, like iron, into the city. 

That's also the year Dierbergs took root, when a general merchant exchange opened on Olive Street Road, slightly east of where Highway 270 crosses Olive today.

The store provided merchandise such as kerosene, flour, sugar, seasonings, boots and shoes, cloth and clothing, hardware items, and other staples.  It was a reflection, much like Dierbergs stores today, of the demands and needs of its customers.

William Dierberg (grandfather of chairman Bob Dierberg) purchased the store in 1914 from H. M. Koch.  In 1929, William Dierberg turned the business over to his two sons, Bill and Fred.  The following year, the business moved into a new 3,500-square-foot building on Olive Street Road in Creve Coeur.  Operations continued at this location until 1960, when the Dierbergs moved to a new location at the corner of Craig and Olive in Creve Coeur.

In 1961, Bill's son Bob entered the business fresh from college. By 1967, Bob had opened the Four Seasons store, a second location just four miles west of the Creve Coeur store. Progressive Grocer, a national trade magazine, heralded the store's modern design and named it "Store of the Month."  In 1969, Fred's son Roger (Bob's cousin) entered the business, leaving behind an engineering career at McDonnell-Douglas.

A steady expansion throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area began when a third store was opened in 1976 in Oakville, a suburb south of the city.  Today, a fourth generation of Dierbergs occupy leadership roles in the company, which now has 23 stores: five in South County; five in St. Charles County; one in North County; nine in West County; and two in Illinois. Click here for a store directory.

Now more than 5,000 employees share in Dierbergs' 154-year history and its reputation built on hard work, personal service and a commitment to meeting the growing needs of the community.

     Dierbergs' growth and innovations were always fueled by one simple question:  "What are the needs of our customers?"  That touchstone query resulted in a reputation for excellent quality, friendly service, cleanliness, attractive décor and a variety of unique specialty departments that gained local and national attention.  Not only was the growing supermarket chain among the first to adopt national retailing trends, it often led the charge in grocery industry changes.

      A prime example of that innovation is Dierbergs' School of Cooking.  Dierbergs was the first supermarket in the United States to provide in-store cooking schools staffed by full-time professional home economists.  A wide range of cuisine and techniques are explored in these unique facilities, available at five Dierbergs locations. 

Some other notable specialty areas are:

ˇ        Dierbergs was the first supermarket in St. Louis with a full-service FTD florist, which now ranks number nine out of 20,000 FTD florists in the United States.  Dierbergs Florist & Gifts designers specialize in flowers for any occasion with twice-a-day delivery in the St. Louis metro area; Belleville, Fairview Heights, Shiloh, Swansea and O'Fallon, Illinois; and worldwide delivery through FTD. 

ˇ         Most Dierbergs Markets contain a Pharmacy and First Bank for added customer convenience.  (Dierbergs was the first supermarket in St. Louis to offer a modern, in-store bank.)

ˇ        In the mid-1980s, Dierbergs introduced Salad Bars into all of its stores. Today, Dierbergs salad bars continue to offer the highest-quality salads and soups available.

ˇ        Another distinctive feature of Dierbergs Markets is its European Bakeries, first introduced at the Creve Coeur store in 1987 and now in four locations.

ˇ        Dierbergs is also a recognized leader in the area for its produce departments, as well as its fresh meat, seafood and deli departments.

The Rewards

     A willingness to innovate, combined with old-fashioned attention to service and quality, generated an extraordinary amount of customer loyalty.

     According to independent research, Dierbergs customers are among the most satisfied of all major American supermarkets.  Surveying customers of major chains in 20 of the nation's largest cities, one study found Dierbergs ranked "No. 1" in customer satisfaction.  Other studies have produced similarly impressive results.

The Future

       "What are the needs of our customers?"  Dierbergs continues to ask that question today as the company builds new stores and updates existing ones.  The answers often reflect the needs of customers with increasingly busy lifestyles.

     It's reflected in the meal solutions at Dierbergs Kitchen and Deli.  Just visit any store to see how Dierbergs has redefined the prepared-foods category, offering customers a wide variety of mealtime options to please everyone in the family.

"What are the needs of our customers?"  That question continues to be asked as a new generation of Dierbergs moves into leadership roles in the family-owned business.  Bob Dierberg's son Greg Dierberg, was named president and chief executive officer in November 2006. At the same time, Greg's sister, Laura Dierberg Padousis, was promoted to vice president and secretary.