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Sharing a sweet celebration
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Barbara and Ron Rhodes stand next to the 50-foot cake Jan. 10 as they prepare to distribute it to customers. Although Barbara and Ron are retired, they joined their sons, Drew and Tim and their families in celebration of Ron’s Supermarket’s 50th anniversary. - photo by Antjea Wolff

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Ron’s Supermarket celebrated 50 years of serving Southeast Kansas with a 50-foot cake: one foot for each year in business.  

To show their appreciation for their customers the Rhodes family, owners of the business, started serving slices of vanilla cake to their customers Saturday at 11 a.m. The cake was officially gone by 1:37 p.m. As Ron Rhodes personally handed patrons bowls of cake and ice cream, people of all ages congratulated the Rhodes family on the milestone.  

“I’ve been shopping at Ron’s for 50 years,” and “I was there opening day 50 years ago,” were common phrases heard within the first hour of the celebration.  

Ron and Barbara Rhodes, the original owners, were present at the event to help their sons, Drew and Tim cut the cake and hand it out to customers. Drew and Tim’s spouses and children also assisted with distributing the sweets.  

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.