20. Leslie O. Anderson
Leslie Anderson was born in Carlisle in 1892. He grew up in the grocery business and joine dhis father as a partner in Anderson's market in 1913, at age twenty-one. He spent his life as a successful grocer on the Milldam.
Leslie attended Concord schools and the University of Massachusetts (then Massachusetts State College). He served in World War I as a member of the Neuropsychiatric Unit of the U.S. Army Medical Corps. In 1920, he married Esther Howe Wheeler, uniting two prominent, civic-minded Concord families. The Andersons lived on the Wheeler Farm for many years with their three children. Leslie also belonged to a number of local organizations, including Rotary, the Elks, the American Legion, the Massachusetts Retail Grocers' Association, and the Concord Chamber of Commerce. He was also active in Milldam affairs.
Leslie's knack for merchandising and management were apparent in hs business practices. His talents, combined with his father's experience, ensured decades of success in spite of local competition. Lars and Leslie Anderson sold top quality products, employed creative marketing, and instituted a tradition of excellent customer service.
