Malden Market to open doors soon

Karena Wilcox poses with the open sign for the Malden Market that she painted. The market will open on Friday, May 26. It will be the first business in Malden since 1993.

The last time Malden had an operating business was more than 20 years ago. That business, Deckard’s Gas Station, closed in 1993, and the tanks were removed a year later in 1994. Now, for the first time in more than two decades, Malden is getting a new business – at the site of the former Deckard’s Gas Station.

Opening there on Friday, May 26, at noon will be the Malden Market, operated by Karena Wilcox, who moved to Malden from Spokane one year ago.

“There’s so many cool buildings and a lot of cool history. I just wanted to revitalize my community,” said Wilcox. “And it’s 20 minutes to drive to get milk. Those two reasons were why I wanted to do this.”

Wilcox, who grew up in Deer Park and then moved to Seattle for 30 years, has operated a consignment store and a retail computer parts and repair store that is still in business. She sold that business when she moved from Seattle to Spokane.

She plans to offer a variety of items at the Malden Market.

“It’s like an old mercantile,” she said. “If you need dish soap, you don’t have to drive to Cheney.”

Some of the items that will be offered there include milk, eggs, bread, candy, soda, treats, paper products, ice and camping supplies, gifts and crafts, hot dogs, muffins and baked goods, grab and go deli items, fresh fruits and vegetables, gluten and dairy free items, coffee, tea and ice cream cones.

“One of my main focuses is scoop ice cream,” said Wilcox. “I’ll have lots of flavors. I’ll have six scoop flavors.”

The gifts Wilcox plans to have for sale include shirts, postcards and magnets.

“Souvenirs. There will be Malden souvenirs,” she said.

In addition to the market, Wilcox said she plans to have a small history display in the entrance, which is a front office.

“I’m also doing a little part of history-type museum,” she said. “The owner of the building had so much cool stuff in there, and there’s built in bookshelves and I like doing displays.”

Wilcox said it is important to her to preserve the history of Malden.

“A lot of people come here and ask about the history. People don’t realize it, but Malden was actually going to be the next Spokane,” said Wilcox. “We had the Milwaukee Railroad here, and the biggest roundhouse.”

The roundhouse was constructed in 1909 by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway to serve as a division headquarters. The railroad, however, relocated its operations in the 1920s, and the train depot was demolished in the 1970s.

Wilcox said she has worked out a deal with the current building owner, Todd Deckard, for the business. Deckard’s family purchased the building in 1962, and it has stayed in the family. The building was constructed in 1939, though Wilcox said she does not know who owned it between 1939 and 1962.

She said she is optimistic about the success of the business.

“We’re starting small, and if it is doing well through the summer, I’ll continue,” she said. “If not, it’s a cute little gas station that’s fixed up.”

Wilcox has been working on fixing up the building for about two months now, and she said she has received a lot of great feedback from the community.

“So far I’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response,” she said. “Two to six people are stopping by per day. Everybody’s been very positive.”

Wilcox added that she thinks many of her customers will be travelers passing through, and she said she is excited to provide a service for them as well as the community and to showcase the history of Malden.

“I love this small town,” she said.

Once the business opens, Wilcox said she is planning to be open Thursdays through Mondays and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“It’s just me, so I won’t be able to be there all day, every day,” she said.

Hours for the market will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. Wilcox said she may adjust hours as needed. The Malden Market can be followed on Facebook.