Grab It Here was a chain of cash-and-carry stores that existed from 1903 to the end of the 20th century in Illinois and Indiana.[1]
C. Sherman Paxton moved to Illinois from Kentucky as a coal miner around 1901. He began saving money to open his own grocery store. By 1903, he had saved $185 (6026 in modern terms) and opened a small store in Georgetown, Illinois. The store was originally called simply the "C. S. Paxton Store", and he ran it on credit and made deliveries; Paxton closed the store for a time during a coal strike but returned later and opened the store again.
In 1919, Paxton opened a cash-only store managed by his son Ernie and it was here that the "Grab-It-Here" name first appeared. By the 1930s, there were several cash-and-carry stores in operation. By 1941, that grew to a chain of 40 stores.[2] In 1968, Grab-It-Here became affiliated with Dolly Madison Industries. By the 1980s, the chain was defunct.
C. S. Paxton died in 1950.
Locations
Here is a list of stores according to an anniversary brochure from the 1960s:
| Store | Address | City | State | 
|---|---|---|---|
| 1M | 101 North State Street | Georgetown | Illinois | 
| 3M | 143 North State Street | Westville | Illinois | 
| 7M | Illinois Street | Chrisman | Illinois | 
| 9M | 103 Main Street | Homer | Illinois | 
| 11M | Yates Street | Newman | Illinois | 
| 18M | 12 South Hazel Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 21 | Main Street | Kingman | Indiana | 
| 22M | Main Street | Potomac | Illinois | 
| 25M | 320 Washington Street | Covington | Indiana | 
| 27M | 206 Main Street | Veedersburg | Indiana | 
| 30 | Buena Vista | Kansas | Illinois | 
| 32M | 108 Washington Street | Williamsport | Indiana | 
| 37M | 100 Jones Street | Milford | Illinois | 
| 38M | 517 West Madison Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 46 | Main Street | Boswell | Indiana | 
| 47M | 102 Chicago Street | Rossville | Illinois | 
| 51M | 129 North Central Street | Paris | Illinois | 
| 57M | 25 West Fourth Street | Sheldon | Illinois | 
| 66M | 220 North Market Street | Paxton | Illinois | 
| 69M | 2715 North Vermilion Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 70M | Jefferson and York Streets | Rockville | Indiana | 
| 71M | 855 East Fairchild Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 72M | Prospect and Sherwood Streets | Champaign | Illinois | 
| 73M | 200 East Main Street | Attica | Indiana | 
| 74M | Seymour and 4th Streets | Kentland | Indiana | 
| 75M | 2nd and Walnuts Streets | Watseka | Illinois | 
| 76M | 1113 East Main Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 77M | 317 South Market Street | Hoopeston | Illinois | 
| 78M | Pembroke and Parke Streets | Tuscola | Illinois | 
| 79M | Division and Hubbard Streets | Cayuga | Indiana | 
| 80M | 1615 Springfield | Champaign | Illinois | 
| 81M | 109 East Market Street | Crawfordsville | Indiana | 
| 82M | 417 South Gilbert Street | Danville | Illinois | 
| 83M | Fairchild and Robinson Streets | Danville | Illinois | 
| 84M | Adams and Fourth Streets | Fowler | Indiana | 
References
- ↑ Vermilion County Museum Society (2014). Danville. Arcadia Publishing. p. 70. ISBN 9781467111553.
 - ↑ Starch, Daniel (1943). How to Develop Your Executive Ability. Harper & Brothers. p. 120. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
 
- Grab-It-Here anniversary booklets from the 1950s and 1960s, courtesy of the Vermilion County Historical Society
 - The Heritage of Vermilion County magazine, published by the Vermilion County Museum Society