WILSONVILLE
Wanker’s Country store
A Local Legacy
Family tradition spans four generations
By Patti Jo Brooks, Active Media
Photos by Brittany Jungenberg, Active Media
Mention Wanker’s Corner to any local resident and you’ll get instant recognition. Both Dubs Tavern and Wanker’s Country Store come to mind. Not everyone, however, will know the rich family history or the market’s storied past.
Back in 1895, John and Dora Wanker purchased 20 acres of land at the crossing of Stafford and Borland Roads. Their son, Walter “Dubs” Wanker built the first Country Store in 1931 on a portion of this land. “It was a mercantile store with a bar in the back, a barber, and it sold feed,” Dub’s granddaughter and current store owner Tracie Tolbert tells us. In 1961 Dubs built a tavern next to the store, which Tracie now owns as well, known to the locals as Dubs’ Tavern.
It was Tracie’s mom, however, that was truly instrumental in shaping the country store as we know it today. After the original store
burned down in 1969, nothing was done until 20 years later when Lois Wanker-Tolbert, Dubs’ daughter, rebuilt Wanker’s Country Store on the same site, property which she now owned. As stated in an article by The Oregonian, September 6, 1990, she wanted to “keep alive the spirit of her ancestors.”
Although both the store building and the property have remained in the family all along, the merchandise aspect of the business was owned for the last 27 years by an individual outside the family. Upon his retirement, Tracie
was able to purchase the inventory, and as of Sunday, September 1, she is excited to have regained full ownership and operations of Wanker Country Store, bringing it once again under control of the Wanker family line. Certain changes are in the making, particularly to the store’s menu items. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Tracie is offering fresh deli-meat sandwiches, which are selling out daily. The store also offers breakfast sandwiches and hand-made breakfast burritos with sales numbering over 130 per day!
Likewise, coffee service is being totally revamped to a stand-alone coffee bar inside the store hosted by Illy Coffee. “We’re trying to do the fun drinks,” Tracie relates, citing seasonal drinks and cold brew, in addition to espresso and other regular featured coffees.
Employees, on the other hand, will be the same familiar faces with a few new ones added in. The store, totally refreshed with new floors and new paint, is open Monday-Friday at 5 a.m., Saturday at 6 a.m., and Sunday at 7 a.m., closing daily at 10 p.m. Watch their website for future offerings of online food orders!
Located at Wanker’s Corner, 19995 SW Stafford
