premade clothing , Abie sold a lot of materials so women could make their own clothes .
Usually , Abie had a hired hand to help in the store , and Mary worked in the store as well .
In the days before big box stores and highways , the townspeople relied on trade in their own area to get by .
“ These little stores are really kind of a thing of the past ,” said Joe . “ Back when he started this was a pretty thriving little community . There were about 500 people in Harrison , and now there ’ s only about 200 or so .”
In 1936 , the store moved across the street for a couple of years . Then , in 1938 , the building currently housing the store was built with the post office next door . The owners talked Abie into renting the space for his store , and in the early 1950s , Abie purchased the building .
“ We ’ ve been here ever since ,” said Joe .
For a time , there was even a second location in Lusk , Wyoming , but Abie continued to work at the store in Harrison until he passed away in 1990 . Ten years prior in 1980 , Joe began helping his dad with the store . Mary had passed away five years earlier so Abie was running the store by himself at the time .
“ I was just more or less helping him as he got older ,” said
Joe . Joe was the youngest of three boys . “ When I was growing up , my brother and I had a lawn service , and we ’ d mow yards and stuff like that ,” said Joe . “ I always had a job doing something .”
Later in life after serving in the United States Marine Corps for two years , Joe returned to Harrison , got married and worked at the bank from 1960 to 1980 . For a time , he also owned a ranch in Wyoming .
“ Then , I came in and started helping my dad here in the store . He was getting up in years , and then he passed away in 1990 . That ’ s when I purchased my other two brothers ’ share of the estate . So I ended up with the store . I thought I ’ d just probably close it out , but here I am ever since .”
When asked what makes the store special to him , Joe said , “ I don ’ t know . It ’ s just a way of life .”
For the last 16 years , Abby Edmund has been working at Whiteaker ’ s Store once a week to help Joe keep the store up and running .
“ He ’ s just become one of my best friends ,” said Abby . “ It ’ s been fun .” In 2021 , Whiteaker ’ s Store celebrated 90 years in business . “ We ’ d been sitting here one day , and I ’ m like , ‘ Oh my gosh , this store ’ s going to be open 90 years . You should have a party .’ And he was like , ‘ We should ,’ and it was a ball ,” said Abby .
They decided to have a dinner and a dance at the Rocky
8 Down Country Roads March / April 2025