FAIRBANK, Iowa (KCRG) – Costa’s Market, which opened Wednesday, is expanding access to fresh food in a community that for years has been without a local option.
It has been inconvenient for the 1,100 residents in Fairbank – a small town on the Buchanan-Fayette County line. Residents used to have to drive fifteen minutes to Oelwein for their groceries – but now, they can come pick up the essentials right here on Main Street.
Nita Nuhiji and her husband Beni Rushiti have owned the Costa’s Sports Bar and Grill for eight years. When her husband got the idea to reopen the town’s grocery store, Nuhiji was apprehensive at first.
“Then I said, ‘no, we can’t do this, we have little kids and stuff.’ He’s like, ‘no, I’m going to call, I’m going to make some phone calls,’” she said with a smile. “So, he did… and here we are.”
Their team worked together over months to make opening day happen. Now, Costa’s Market is the newest of the approximately five grocery stores in Buchanan County.
“We don’t have to leave town. We work in town, you don’t have to leave town. You got convenience right here,” said Nuhiji. “It’s nice. Everybody seems to be very excited and [they’ve] got our back.“
Lynn Purinton lives a block away from the store. She said driving to Oelwein every time she needed groceries really added up.
“With the price of gas these days and everything, this is going to be very convenient for everybody in the town and the older people can enjoy it and walk down, or get a ride down here to the store,” she said.
Just across the street is a child care center – and down the road, the owners’ restaurant. Nuhiji said they are hoping the location makes it easy for employees and parents to drop by for lunch at the deli or grab dinner ingredients for their families.
“I’m super excited to show everybody what we’ve got,” said Nuhiji.
Costa’s Market is open seven days a week.
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Dining and Cooking