A retirement party for longtime Toledo store manager George Baack was recently held at Fareway and attended by many local citizens. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS

Tama-Toledo is made up of several great institutions, but few have been more vital to the community than Fareway. The one store that has long outlasted the rest, serving and employing generations of local residents. However, regular Fareway visits may be a little somber for a while as one person who has forever stamped his mark upon the beloved grocery store has left. None other than 42-year veteran of the business George Baack, the familiar face that could always be seen walking about the shelves, has retired. After working for nearly half a century for the Fareway company, George is hanging up his name tag for some much earned relaxation. When asked if he had any plans for his retirement George succinctly said, “Hunting, fishing, and the grandkids.”