George Anast

People you Know. Murray Eagle June 1958.
Many fine things could be said about George Anast, owner of the Granger Market, but perhaps the finest testimonial to the respect he has gained from the community comes from his employees.
"He's no boss", Mrs Muriel Losee, a clerk, pointed out, "He never bosses us, but treats us as an equal. As long as I've known him, George has been an active support of community affairs".
Her sentiments were echoed by another clerk, Mrs Ethel Lyre who noted: "We work together just like a big, happy family. You can't say anything bad about him."
both of the ladies have known Mr. Anast since school days. born in Tripoli, Greece, a son of Chris and Connie Anast, George came to American and the Granger area in 1913, when 8 years old.
His father had arrive 4 years earlier and worked with Utah copper. The family made it's residence at 3100 s Redwood Rd until 1917 when they moved to the present family home, 1755 W 3500 S.
That year, George and his father opened the Granger market at its present location, 1989 W 3500 S. At the time, it was the only store between the Jordan River and Magna, George states.
We were the first grocery store, had the first gas and coal yard along the road, George noted.
The business had its own trunk line with the old Orem Railroad line and delivered coal by horse and wagon at first.
There was no concrete road running by the store at that time. Mr Anast recalls. it was built about 2 yrs later.
When he first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, George could speak no English. He attended Plymouth and Monroe schools and then went to work with his father.
The growth of the area has greatly impressed George.
At one time I knew everyone between the river and Magna by their first name, George says proudly, but with the rapid gains we have made in population it's hard to deep up with the new faces.
He points out that when the store first opened, there were but four or five homes in the area. looking out his store window, one can see several of the many subdivisions which have sprung up in the community.
George had a hand in aiding this growth. He sibdivided the Granger Park subdivision and had helped start several businesses.
The area is rapidly filling up with people, George notes. I've watched, every business house as it was being built along this road.
he and his wife, the former Lorraine Bawden of Granger are parents of 2 daughters and a son, Mrs Connie Bibye, Mrs Tessi Maverakas and Chris Anast.
Connie is a graduate of Cyprus High School, has a son and a daughter and resides in Los Angeles. Chris works with his father in the store and has 3 sons. He also is a graduate of Granite High School.
Mr Anast was a charter member of the Granger Lions Club, is a member of the Greek Orthodox church and Ahepa, a national fraternal organization.