309-639-2223
OUR STORY
We celebrate our 100 year history in "downtown Dahinda." The store building was ordered as a pre-cut kit from the Gordon Van Tine Company in Davenport, Iowa and shipped on the Santa Fe railroad to Dahinda. It was assembled in 1916 and was one of three general stores in town at that particular time. It sold clothing, shoes, and general merchandise. It struggled and failed during the depression and stood empty for many years until it was purchased by Walter Moore in 1943. With Hudee's ownership, Darreld "Shorty" Woolsey moved into the store shortly thereafter and ran the store for many years (along with several of his family members in the 1970's).
"Woolsey General Store" was a successful and reliable amenity for the community. Many of our current customers remember those days and share stories with us!
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The 1970s and 80s
Bill Hughs ran the store in the late 70's and early 1980's. After Bill (and Hudee's 1983) passing in 1985, the store switched hands and underwent some struggles until it finally closed and was purchased/used for storage and a machine shop.
Today
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In 2018, Dahinda native Andrew Fritz (and mother Janet Collopy) purchased the store after roughly 30 years of its partial retirement, with help from friend, local Dahinda native, and realtor Charlie Cooley. Repairs and renovations were made to bring the general store back to life. A bakery kitchen was certified with the health department; coolers and other equipment were purchased and reinstalled, alongside some of the original pieces from the early general store eras. With the motto for only working with local artisans, growers, and suppliers, the business has grown to include over 40 local vendors who provide food items, essentials, crafted gifts, and more. We compiled local Dahinda history and have displayed many pictures of the town, store, school, and scenery. The store welcomes everyone (with a mask now that we have all endured the 2019/2020 pandemic), and we offer special events throughout the year.
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