Our Story

Henry “Bud” Dawson made his living as a produce wholesaler in Illinois. George Dawson, his son and founder of Country Market, grew up around the concept and following of “buying local”. This means that purchasing from a “family-owned” or “mom and pop” store, you do more than just buy a better and healthier product, you keep your community, and its businesses, alive and thriving. George Dawson and his children opened Country Market in 1967.

After 3 different locations, and one rebuild, Country Market is located at 1610 Wabash Avenue. We are a family owned, all local, grocery store specializing in selling locally grown, harvested and sourced meats, produce, and grocery items. Liz Havens, George’s eldest daughter, manages the day-to-day operations and ordering. George’s son, Greg, is the head butcher and meat manager. Our managers are close friends of the Dawson family and most have been with the store for 15+ years.

We continue to bring new and improved items into our “mom and pop” store. Our promise to our customers is that we have and will continue to distribute all local products from local suppliers; to meet the highest expectations of good customer service; and to ensure our customers’ happiness at the end of the day