Since we design grocery and retail stores, I thought it was appropriate to write on occasion about unique and interesting retail stores that I come across. I see a lot of them and find them all so interesting. I especially like stores that have managed to weather the economic storms of the past and stores that are making way for the future. To start I want to take you to Winifred. Montana:
A small town in the rural parts of Montana, Winifred boasts a population of about 150 people. Still, this small town is no stranger to the movement of time. They boast a city website. While that alone is a feat, the site is great. it keeps friends and neighbors informed with a message board, minutes from city council and school board meetings, community information and you can even read the online version of the local newsletter: The Roundup. For a small town in rural Montana, Winifred boasts a better online presence than many profitable companies.
The backbone of this modernity is Brad Bergum, co-owner of Winifred Grocery. Purchased this year with his brothers and sister, Winifred Grocery still is going strong. Coming from a small town, I know that the heartbeat of any rural burg is its grocery store. Not to be left behind by the information revolution, Winifred Grocery has its own website. In addition to groceries, the store is the local spot for DVDs and alcohol. Not too strange that the Bergum family wanted to own the local grocery. Deep emotional ties were built on the family ranch and farm where their parents still live today. 
The store was built in 1913 and still retains much of its original charm, while striving to be a vibrant part of the 21st century. Plans for modernization include partially returning the facade to its original state, by removing the modern sign and re-exposing the windows. They plan to expand on the store’ss offerings by adding a bakery/deli area to the existing counter. They will also spruce up the outside with some new landscaping.
While Winifred has yet to be completely discovered as a tourist destination, it does sit at the entrance to the Missouri River Breaks National Monument. They plan on encouraging visitors by adding a visitor information area for hunters and tourists to the area. If exposure is any indication, this could well be the hotspot for visitors to rural Montana. You can find more information on Winifred at the town’s website: www.onlyinwinifred.com. Here you can find out the best way to reach this small town for your next getaway. Or to find out more about this gem of a store, try www.winifredgrocery.com. You can even join their fan page on Facebook, where they have more fans than residents of the town!
In an age of destruction and demolition, Winifred Grocery stands as a testament of how you can keep the old building and its business alive while thriving in the modern era. Kudos to them.
Tags: grocery
Thanks so much for your kind words, Robert. We are really proud of our hometown and of our little store, and we see a great future in store for both of them (despite the rather depressing trends that have befallen smalls towns around the country and in ag areas in particular).
So from one small town guy to another, thank you!
I hope that in my retirement years I can find a small community like that to settle into. Someplace that appreciates what it has and isn’t trying over and over to be the next New York.
What a great article!