The business was founded in 1948 when Ed & Pauline Macke along with Vilas & Nevas Jones formed a partnership and opened M&J Grocery at 104 NW 1st Street in Mullen. The next year, the partnership broke up and Ed & Pauline moved one door to the east to 102 NW 1st Street to form Macke's Grocery.

They continued to operate in that location until 1956 when Ed & Pauline bought out Chet Johnson for whom Ed had previously worked with and moved one block west. Ed & Pauline also operated stores in Whitman and Hyannis in the 60s and early 70s. In November, 1974, the building in Mullen burned down.

In the summer of 1975, Ed & Pauline's daughter, Joan Rogers and husband Bob, along with son Dick and wife Jo Macke reopened Macke's Grocery in the same building at 104 NW 1st Street where M&J Grocery was originally located.

In 2003, Dick and Jo purchased the adjoining building at 102 NW 1st Street and added a sit-down deli. The current Macke's Grocery now occupies the same two buildings that housed the business for the first eight years. Dick and Jo's daughter, Paula Rice, is now involved in the management of the business.

Dick and Jo Macke

Our specialties include hot breakfast sandwiches and bakery rolls daily. We offer subs, wraps, and chef salads to go. We offer a wide variety of fresh meats and homemade sausage.

We offer free delivery to the elderly and shut-ins.

Our employees are the best! They have a good sense of humor. They once filled a customer's vehicle with old register receipts while another employee distracted the customer as he shopped. Our customer enjoyed the joke and did his best to get even.

Paula Rice - Manager

Kelley Carr - Produce Manager

Barb McIntosh - Frozen and Meat Manager

We are heavily involved in our community.

We regularly donate and help with the After Prom Party, Sharptail Shootout, Fair, Summerfest, School activities, Church fundraisers, Nursing Home fundraisers and any and all Youth activities.

Dick served 12+ years on the Village Board including several years as chairman. He has served as a volunteer driver for the ambulance service for over 30 years and has served as a volunteer fireman for several years. Jo has also driven the ambulance for a time and served as a Girl Scout leader for several years while Dick coached youth baseball for many years. Dick also served on the board of the Sandhills Development Corporation and helped to secure a grant to build a new clinic in the Eighties and attract doctors to the community.

Dick currently sits on the Fund Advisory Board of the Mullen Area Community Foundation. Both Dick and Jo have been longtime members of the Mullen Commercial Club. Jo was a member and also served as President of the now defunct Women's Service Club.