One Of The Oldest General Stores In Nebraska Has A Fascinating History
By Delana Lefevers|Published November 11, 2016
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
When the The Kacirek-Woita General Store was built in Weston in 1894, it was much like any other building around it. The Victorian architecture and ornate but subdued flourishes blended in perfectly with the other structures on the street. But slowly, Weston’s landscape changed. Some of the old buildings didn’t survive. This general store building, however, has stood strong for more than 120 years…though there were some hiccups.
The Kacirek-Woita General Store was a staple in the town for many years.
Although specific dates are sketchy, it seems that at some point the front of the store - the general store portion - was closed and the other half of the building was used as a grocery store for a number of years. The building was no longer used as a store at all after the 1970s. The windows were boarded up and it was used as storage space.
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In 2013, new owners took over and reinvigorated the historic store.
Rob and Shelli Hall, residents of nearby Wahoo, purchased the building and began the long process of restoring the building to its former glory. They spend two years lovingly fixing what was broken, using original and period-appropriate materials whenever possible. They successfully nominated the building for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
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After their years of hard work, they reopened the store under the name Vintage Merchant General Store.
