Demolition on part of the building around Bill’s Superette in Becker is underway at the site of the former Anderson Gilyard building. The Becker post office will continue to operate in the same portion of the building, as their lease is thru Fall of 2025. 

Shane Rademacher, of Bill’s Family Foods, shared these thoughts about the plans for the former Anderson Gilyard complex: “We are planning on demolishing the entire complex in the next two years or more and will be putting in new gas pumps including off-road diesel, as well as a large car wash to serve the community. It is an awesome location with easy access along Hwy. 10. The store will stock a wide assortment of new products and brands and an expanded selection of snacks, beef jerky and candy.”

Anderson Chevrolet car dealership in Becker was previously located in the spot, where they sold Model Ts off the train in Becker in 1917. The company was owned by Otto Anderson and they operated as a Ford Motor Company. In 1924, they swtiched over to Chevrolet. 

In 1960, Virgil Gilyard bought out Alan Anderson’s share of the business and formed a partnership with Glenn Anderson. Anderson and Gilyard did a coin toss to choose the name for the business. Gilyard won the coin toss and chose to name the new business venture Anderson-Gilyard.  Some of the earliest employees included Phil (Buster) Lambert, Ronnie Kolbinger, Harold Kolbinger, Elvin (Knute)  Gilyard, Rosie Klinker, Glen Johnson, Ken Johnson, Vicky Johnson, Conrad Olson and many others.

Virgil Gilyard and Glenn Anderson worked closely together for 25 years in a variety of endeavors in Becker. In 1986, Anderson sold his portion of the business to Gilyard. Anderson-Gilyard would continue to serve as the umbrella company for several Becker and Santiago business for several more decades. Businesses under that umbrella included Food Pride, Jubilee Liquor, Deli Plus/Shell station (now called Bill’s Suprette) and the Santiago Country Store, which is still owned by the family of Virgil Gilyard. 

For the past two and a half years, The Rademacher family has owned the property where Anderson-Gilyard was housed. Bill’s Superette is located there now and operates where the former Shell station was. The Rademachers also own the grocery story in Becker - Bill’s Family Foods.