ELMDALE
Set in Elmdale, population just over 40, is a slice of history — Baumgardner Grocery Store.
Maria Baumgardner and her husband, Glenn “Bummie” Baumgardner, who died 10 years ago, opened the store in 1947. The store also is known as “Bummie’s Grocery” because Glenn Baumgardner’s nickname was “Bummie.” Maria Baumgardner, who lives right across the street, still runs the store today. The store originally opened with a meat locker business the Baumgardners owned. There, they processed and stored meat for residents. Boyce Baumgardner, Maria and Glenn Baumgardner’s son, said that back in the day, farmers in the area would raise their own livestock, slaughter it and bring it to the Baumgardners to process. The meat then would be processed according to the family’s wishes and stored in a locker.
“They had complete access to their locker,” Boyce Baumgardner said.
The processing part of the operation shut down when Glenn Baumgardner became ill but the family kept the grocery store open.
“It’s all been downsized to more of a convenience type store,” Boyce Baumgardner said.
“I got to do something so I might as well stay here,” Maria Baumgardner said with a smile as she sat in one of the store’s booths set aside for the various groups of people that trickle in each day.
Maria Baumgardner has a support system in Elmdale to help her with things around the store.
“They do, they really do,” she said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”
Each day, someone escorts Baumgardner across the street to the store. She goes in at 5:45 a.m. each day. Someone also shows up to escort her home. The store is open every day except Sunday and is closed each Wednesday afternoon when Baumgardner goes to Strong City to get her hair done.
Baumgardner’s regular customers wait on themselves at the store. Since her eyesight isn’t what it used to be, customers come in, make their own sandwiches and their own change from the register.
Maria and Boyce Baumgardner shared some of their favorite memories of the store. The old-fashioned soda fountain still sits in the store. It isn’t used anymore, but comes with fond memories. The old fashioned milk shakes were made with ice cream, milk, chocolate and various toppings. The soda was made the original way — with the syrup in one spout and the carbonated water in another. The store even had car-hops, Boyce Baumgardner said.
“Bummie’s store was known for dad’s milkshakes,” Boyce Baumgardner said.
“People still come in and ask for Bummie’s milkshakes,” Maria Baumgardner added.
Elmdale used to be a bustling town, Maria Baumgardner said. It had a doctor, a bank and several other businesses. Saturday was a busy place for Bummie’s as many of the people in outlying areas would come in to do their shopping. They would call in their orders and come to town and pick it up.
Elmdale began to see its demise when schools started to consolidate and small farmers were going out of business. Today, there are only about 45 people in the town. But Baumgardner’s is still going strong. Maria Baumgardner said she has a morning coffee group that comes in, an afternoon coffee group and sometimes an evening coffee group.
The operation is small, so Boyce Baumgardner brings up the supplies needed and special orders as requested.
“Today I brought a bag of dog food and cat food to a lady,” Baumgardner said on Wednesday.
The store is dotted with memories from the old-fashioned soda fountain to the old chillers. It still has secrets to tell. On Wednesday Boyce Baumgardner took a photo of the store off the wall and realized for the first time there was a letter from a customer on the back detailing happy memories of the store. The letter was written by Bob Shaw in 1994. Nobody knew it was there. The store is still telling its own stories.
“It’s just unique. People enjoy coming. It’s like walking into a piece of history,” Boyce Baumgardner said.
jayhawker (anonymous) says...
Mrs. Baumgartner represents the best of America. She and her husband have been of untold service to her neighbors of western Chase County for 61 years. What a story of commitment.
June 7, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
The America that once was, still is, in isolated tiny pockets frozen in time---like "Bummie's" store in Elmdale. Young people of today could never understand the simple, and wonderful, world many of us oldsters grew up in. Many memories seeped out of the recesses of my mind as I read this article. Thank you.
July 7, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )