LIFE AT THE JENNY LAKE STORE

As the season winds down, we thought we would share some highs and lows of working in the Jenny Lake Store.  We have our share of international visitors from all over the world.  I have met guests from Australia, Japan, China, India, and all parts of Europe.  It is sometimes a challenge to verify the signature on a credit card receipt as evidenced by this credit card slip.

I have previously mentioned the hot dog machine.  In late June we received a second hot dog machine which we keep in the back of the store.  Each machine holds 18 quarter pound all beef hot dogs and there were some days when we still couldn't keep up with demand.  In early August, we had several days where we sold over 100 hot dogs.

A new item this year is smoothies or slushies.  We pour a liquid made from concentrate flavor juice into the machine and it will become a slushy overnight.  One night I filled the blueberry above the max fill line and overnight the ice pushed the cover off the top of the machine and some ice fell into the display of cowboy items on the left of the machine.  I helped Ann clean up the items covered in blue slushy before we opened the next morning. 

As the days have become shorter and fall temperatures have arrived, we sometimes see mule deer in the parking lot next to the store.  One night after we closed the store, we found these visitors who were enjoying the grass and shrubs.

We were challenged by Wyatt, Store Operations Manager, who hired us, to have a day with $10,000 in sales.  We achieved the goal in July and were rewarded with a pizza and beer party at Leek's.  Here are pictures of our crew starting with Wyatt and his wife, Isabella, who were celebrating their 6-month wedding aniversary as well as our good year.

Ron and Karen, store managers, who live in California and were in the RV site next to us at Gros Ventre Campground.

Dick and Sheri, our friends from Rock Springs, Wyoming, that we shared the boating trip on Jackson Lake and the drive along the Beartooth Highway.

Bob and Michelle from Bozeman, Montana.

Don and Elaine from Fort Worth, Texas.

 

Interesting questions we heard during the year include: 

• Do you have chopsticks (to eat the Ramen noodle cups we sell)? 
• Is there a lake here (did he wonder why the area is called Jenny Lake)? 
• Where do they keep the animals at night (they are wild animals; this is not a zoo)? 
• Where is the tram to the top of the mountain (there is a shuttle boat to the trailhead to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point; the only tram is 10 miles away in Teton Village)? 
• And finally, who did the landscaping (mother nature, this is a national park)?