Country store has become age-old tradition

Bill Erin

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008 | midnight

Two of Boulder City's special events with areawide appeal take place in October, one right after the other. The first is the Boulder City Hospital's Art in the Park, last weekend.

The second one is Grace Community Church's Country Store Oct. 17 and 18. People flock to this event from Overton, Pahrump, Henderson, Las Vegas and points in between and far away. Many folks put this on their annual calendar, because it is held regularly the third weekend in October.

People are not only looking for a bargain, but often for the unusual, older item donated to the church as a result of house cleaning or the sale of a home. It is also old home week for kids who were raised here and return for Country Store.

Two of the main movers behind this event lived through those days, but never moved away. Jack and Dorothy Rants, who were born and raised here and are always deeply involved in staging the store each year, have fond memories of the event when they were in school together.

The first Country Store was held in the church basement in 1947 and has been held every year since then. Sitting around their kitchen table, Jack and Dorothy reminisced fondly of the store back in their junior high school days. They recalled how they, and lots of other children, loved coming to the store during lunchtime.

At the store, they could buy sack lunches the church members made ahead of time to give the kids more time to look around. There was a toy room set up and ready for them to check out and buy any items before adults were allowed in the room. Jack and Dorothy recalled the children would come back after school and look for old clothes for Halloween costumes. Or they would use the time to play games in the toy room.

They remember that one of the earlier ministers, Winston Trever, was an avid train collector and set up a display of his trains for the kids to enjoy.

Since those days, the Country Store as grown to where the basement can't begin to contain it. It also fills Fox Hall with clothing, the Social Room with newer boutique items, the French Room with jewelry and nicer clothes, the yard with furniture, the basement with fresh baked goods and next door Legion Hall with hardware.

There is also an area for Christmas items and appliances. Like a large department store, it is difficult to name an item you won't be able to find somewhere in the Country Store. There are also items you won't find in a modern department store.

Jack and Dorothy also fondly remembered some of those early volunteers who pioneered this outstanding charity event. Two of them still live in Boulder City: Mary Eaton, who was a school teacher, and Violet Tracht who owned Central Market.

The store has also grown in the volunteer department. No longer are all of the volunteers members of Grace Community Church. Many others join in the yearlong effort to gather together the astounding number of donations that has turned a basement garage sale into a major Southern Nevada event.

It may have something to do with the church's history. When it was built in 1931 by the dam workers, members were from seven denominations. Some of them have since built their own churches.

Jack was chairman of the event last year, but probably puts in just as much work each year as he did then. This year, Boulder City's premier charity volunteer, Don Walker, wears the title of Country Store chairman.

And if you come early and stand in line waiting for the doors to open at 9 a.m., as many do, there will be coffee and sweet rolls available there ahead of you.

Bill Erin is a Boulder City News columnist.