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Dwight and Betty Spencer met in Columbus, married and moved to Chicago, where they established a business in 1958 called Market Research Consultants. With offices in Chicago and New York, they decided to open a branch in Betty's hometown of Columbus. That office was established in 1962 on Broadview Avenue near Grandview Heights. In 1985, the company purchased the building located at 1290 Grandview Ave., across from the Bank Block. It was here that the business first involved the surrounding community, and organizations, schools, churches and residents took part in testing products for manufacturers through Spencer Research. Products such as cereal, beverages, macaroni and cheese, coffee, chewing gum, health foods, frozen dinners, pizza and lawn-care products have been tested. Betty Spencer died in 2001 and Dwight's death followed in 2002. George Maynard purchased Spencer Research Inc. in 2002 and is the present owner.