5 stars....really?…read more
Well if you've lived in bethel ( like me) Aniak( like me) Galena, walked to the town store from the airport in Quinhagak, and a plethora of other Alaska rural communities you know a special place when you find it.
The town needed a store. A meeting was held:
The Children smelled of mudflats , the women smelled of hydraulic fluid and boat bilge, and a fish jumped out if a mans rubber boot , and a volunteer stepped up.
The owner of the store needed a wife, so goes the story, he wooed a damsel across the pacific in the Philippines. The time came to meet the dad and tie the knot. He travels the sea to the Philippines, meets the father and his mail order wife to be and....... she says ......uhmmmm.
I've changed my mind.
BUMMER DUUDE!
Her Sister , " Ta-Ta" pipes up ...,
"I'll marry you"
We now have Ta Ta, manning...oops, Wo-manning the store.
The store is decorated with her children's water color renditions of living in the bay.
From toothbrushes and knives. To pots and pencils.
From tomato paste and chili powder to rice noodles for stir fry. ( check, sesame oil for the fry)
Baking powder , cream of tartar, muffin runs to limes for your corona.
Is it Safeway fresh. Well, on ship day YES..,,
The selection dwindles some in between ferry trips to/from the Road system.
Linoleum artwork on the floor, wood shelves with at least ONE of everything. Do you want dill pickles for that peanut butter pickle sandwich ? They got em. You might take the last, or only, jar, but they got em.
We stopped flying down our own food when we realized we didn't have to. Besides...
Support local or loose it!
After a few years of patronizing the crab pot, my wife said to the clerk/owner.....
" are you Ta-Ta?"
Says she" Yes, I'm the sister"