“Belinda was in kindergarten when I started working here,” Meyer said. “Between the three of us, we have a 100 and some years put into this place.”
Rounding off the part-time help is Norman Eckhart, who works every other Thursday and every Friday. It’s up to Erdmann to act as skipper, working seven to eight hours a day. Saturdays, she only work five hours.
“We always have slow months like in January and February,” Meyer said. “Then we get busier, especially in the spring when people start working outside, painting and getting ready for graduation. It’s a big boost.”
Lately, a surge of customers has been bustling among the aisles, which Meyer accredits to the high gas prices. Apparently, people aren’t as apt to make the long trip to the box stores these days.
“We have some very loyal people,” Meyer said. “Quite often, I have someone asking, ‘Do you have this?’ I say, ‘Sure,’ and walk over to the counter and get it. You see, the big box stores carry the best sellers where Edna stocks more variety.”
More often than not, regular customers stop in, pick up a few items and write it on their tab. There’s no sense in writing up a ticket every day.
“It’s almost a self-service store,” Erdmann said. Meyer adds, “If the doors closed, it would hurt a lot of our other businesses, as there aren’t any hardware stores in Ellendale, Geneva or Waldorf.”
If Erdman’s long-time wish is speedily granted, she and Meyer have no plans to leave New Richland for good. To leave their beloved town, it would take the sheriff to haul them away.
“In the meantime, I’ll stay in the store unless I can’t take care of myself,” Erdmann said.
Meyer adds, “Before Vince passed away, he said to me, ‘One day if something happens to me, you’ll stay with Edna until she sells the store won’t you?’ I said, ‘Oh sure.’ So when you make a promise, you have to stick to it too.”
