LaCrosse Community Pride selects Holliday to open store

LaCrosse Community Pride board of directors announced Tuesday that Wendy Holliday, a long time Whitman County resident, and her family have been chosen to open a grocery business in the historic LaCrosse general store building.

Wendy Holliday grew up on her family’s ranch near Benge and has worked for agricultural businesses in Whitman County for more than 20 years.

Her parents, Mike and Bonnie Holliday, have been long-time community supporters, recently completing for another year their annual tradition of providing brushes, curry combs and other livestock grooming supplies and treats to every Little Cow Poke participant at the Palouse Empire Fair.

The LaCrosse Market, their new enterprise, will be opening for business in early to mid-December. Wendy said her mom is making plans to decorate the sidewalk with corn stalk displays and her dad will be hanging Christmas lights in the store soon afterwards.

“I am so excited to begin this new adventure and to become part of the LaCrosse community,” she said. “I can’t wait to open the doors. I’m going to love visiting and seeing everybody.”

Wendy Holliday plans to operate a full service grocery and to be open for business from Monday through Saturday each week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The historic LaCrosse General Store building, designed by Pullman architect William Swain, and built in 1915 by Colfax contractor Easum Brothers with bricks from the Colfax brickworks, was the home to mercantile and grocery businesses until 2009. LaCrosse then faced the loss of its grocery store before a fire destroyed the old hardware store building and Bank of Whitman, the only bank in town, closed down.

At the urging of Judy Harder, a neighboring cattle raiser and an architect by training, the old but structurally sound general store building was acquired and plans made for its renovation. A group of volunteers formed LaCrosse Community Pride and took on the task of renovating the building. The project was supported by grants, donations and volunteer work with the goal to bring the town a grocery store, a library branch, a medical office, a workplace for high school students honing their business skills and a community gathering place.

Sterling Bank opened for business in July of this year, leasing the once closed bank building across the street from the store, acquired earlier by LaCrosse Community Pride from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as part of the town revitalization project.

Whitman County Library will move its local branch into quarters in the renovated general store.

“The new facility allows us to enhance this community hub with a wi-fi hotspot, increase access to public materials collections, to develop a Rural Heritage LaCrosse exhibit and expand community programs for all ages,” said Library Director Kristie Kirkpatrick.

The remodeling of the general store building is nearing completion with final work underway so the grocery can open for business in December. The store will feature modern amenities while retaining several of the historic features.

LaCrosse Community Pride is continuing to accept contributions by way of the Great Grain Exchange, donations of cash, real estate, vehicles and equipment to assist in the completion, development and maintenance.

To make a donation or for further information contact committee members Gary Wargo at 509-549-3894 or Lois Startin at 509-549-3629.