One of Wrangell’s longest running grocery stores, City Market, is bidding farewell to their long-time manager Chet Powell. Last Saturday, Powell celebrated his retirement by serving City Market customers cake and hot dogs. Powell finished his 49 year term at the store last July, but he and the staff wanted to set a day to celebrate with the rest of the community.
“There are very loyal, dedicated people that came into this store,” Powell said. “We have this one lady here, she’s been with us shopping at City Market for 65 years. That’s a long time to be dedicated to one store. That’s something to be proud of.”
Powell, now 80 years old, first came to Wrangell in 1968. He is originally from Springdale, Arkansas.
City Market owner Ben Curtis has worked with Powell all those years.
“Chet took, I think, better care of the store than I have,” Curtis said. “He treated it as his own.”
Powell will spend his retirement traveling and working with his sons in Wrangell.
