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 (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.
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 |