30. 1970s and 1980s

The era of Anderson Market came to an end in the summer of 1978. Ken Anderson remembers the last day: Dave Anderson cleaned out the store and put cardboard over the windows and doors. He brought out hors d’oeuvres, filled the coolers with beer, and hired Sleepy LaBeef and his band to play out the Anderson Market era to their rockabilly tunes. Hearing the festivities inside, a town official arrived at the door and asked Dave if he had obtained a permit to have such a party.

Anderson Market was gone, but the building remained in family hands. The space was first occupied by the Old Colony Bank from 1979 to 1983, then by Hunneman & Company, a real estate agency. From 1979 to 1986, Ken Anderson had his actuarial business there.

By this time, supermarkets were crowding out local, family-owned markets. The business climate on the Milldam was changing in favor of boutiques and specialty stores. After so many years as a thriving business, the market became part of Concord’s history. Still, the Anderson family maintained possession of the building and continued the catering arm of the business that had been started by Dave Anderson.