John’s Grocery has been integral to the history of Iowa City since John Alberhasky bought the grocery business in 1948.  But the history of the building goes back a century further.  In fact, the State of Iowa itself is only two years older than 401 E.Market Street, which was built in 1848.  Since then the building 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.