Doug Alberhasky, owner of John’s Grocery, is a seventh generation Iowa City native. 

The building, which was built in 1848, has been a grocery store, an apartment building, a saloon, a barbershop, a fire station, office space, and even a factory for the Ernste Manufacturing Company.

Alberhasky has traveled the world with the story and spirits of John’s Grocery. He is working to develop a movie titled “Death of a Brewer,” sharing the story of the Beer Riots of 1884 and the Beer Mafia of Iowa City that was behind it.

“Nobody knows about what happened [with prohibition and the gangsters] between the Civil War and World War I,” Alberhasky said, “Our movie tells the story of how we got there.”

The screenplay was written Mokotsi Rukundo, an Iowa City native and Los Angeles screenwriter and director. It is based on the book “Beer Money, A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia” written by S.C. Sherman.

You can purchase a copy of the book at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City.

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In 2005 the grocery store was named one of the top beer sellers in the United States by All About Beer Magazine.

Doug is the oldest grandchild of the grocery store’s namesake John Alberhasky. John Alberhasky purchased the store in 1948. Doug began managing the store in 1987.

John’s Grocery is open seven days a week, Sunday – Wednesday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Thursday – Saturday from 8 a.m. – Midnight.

The store is open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving.