DUTTON'S STORE, INC.

by Marjory Dutton

Entry B12 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Dutton's store about 1962

Dutton' Store was started in 1922 by Stuart
L. Dutton. At first it was a "general store",
selling groceries, sewing thread and material,
work clothes, especially mens, and any
miscellaneous items usually found in a
general store. He was assisted in the store by
his wife Anna. At two different times, and for
only a year or so at a time, he had partners.
One was named Pickett and the other Goggin.
The store also served as a place for Stuart to
"test cream", buy and "candle" eggs, and do
"shoe repair", for the local ranchers.

In those early years most of the groceries
were sold in "bulk form" for items such as
beans, raisins, prunes, dates, brown sugar,
and many other items too numerous to
mention. Customers usually just brought in
their grocery list and gave it to the clerk who
would write the order down and then pick out
and "sack" or "box" the order for them. At
that time the bananas were bought by the
stalk, cookies came in boxes and were
displayed in a "cookie caddie" so people
could pick out the assortment they wanted,
then they were sold by the pound. Most
people bought flour in 50 lb. bags, sugar in
100 lb. bags, and potatoes came in 100 lb. bags
and were either sold by the 100 lb. bag or by
the bushel, or by the peck. Vinegar came in
barrels. The barrel would have to be
"tapped" with an auger and a vinegar pump
inserted so they could pump out the vinegar,
measure it in stone measuring pitchers, strain
it through clean cheesecloth, then pour
through a funnel into the stone vinegar jugs
that most of the customers brought in. Most
people had gallon vinegar jugs, but some
brought in those large 5-gallon stone jugs to
be filled.

There used to be a fair assortment of candy
bars and gum, but most of the candy and
peanuts came in bulk form which had to be
weighed for the customer.

The original store had been about 25x25
square feet with a 25x40 square feet storage
area in the back. In 1956 Stuart sold his store
to his son Neal and his wife Marjory. They
enlarged the store by building on the back;
in 1958 they built to the east of the original
store; and in 1962 added additional storage
space and walk-in cooler and freezer units.
They now have a building approximately
45x90 square feet.

From 1956 on, Dutton's Store was consi-
dered a modern grocery store, with grocery
carts, packaged items, modern refrigeration
display cases, and full line of fresh meats and
produce.

Stuart Dutton worked in his store until his
death in 1958. Neal Dutton worked in the
store, but was also a postal clerk at the
Mullen Post Office, working both places on
a part-time basis. In 1962 Neal and Marjory
formed a partnership with Leonard Ridenour
of Mullen. After a brief illness, Neal Dutton
passed away in 1964. Marjory and Leonard
Ridenour continued Dutton's store as a
partnership operation until 1970 when they
formed a corporation. Neal and Marjory's son
Jay soon entered the corporation and Ride-
nour left the corporation in 1973. Jay became
the third generation of Duttons to own and
operate a grocery store in Mullen. He and his
mother continued to manage the store until
it closed in November 1977, preparatory for
a change from a grocery store to a restaurant
and lounge.

In December 1977 the Dutton's Store
building started being remodelled. on the
inside. The building remained the same, but
walls were panelled, floors carpeted, and all
new equipment was bought to open The
Rustic Restaurant and Lounge. Technically,
the restaurant and lounge is still Dutton's
Store, Inc., doing business as the Rustic
Restaurant and Lounge, which opened to the
public in April, 1978.

Jay Dutton is the current Manager of the
Rustic Restaurant, but he is assisted by his
wife Tonya, his mother Marjory, and a large
number of wonderful people who work as
waitresses, bartender, cooks, dishwasher and
many other little jobs that need taken care
of. Even his two daughters, Danell and
Jaylene, assist at times with waiting tables,
clearing tables, and washing dishes.

Will there be a fourth generation in the
Dutton's Store? Who knows!