Page 18 - 03_April-2025

FROM
PENNY
CANDIES
TO PATIO
WINE
Johnny’s Store writes
its next chapter
THE BUILDING STILL SLOPES TO THE
left, the floors still creak and a century
later Johnny’s Store still smells of the orig-
inal wood floors. But now there’s plumbing
— and plans for a wine bar.
In 2021, siblings Brendan and Julie-Ann
McNeilly were about to sell Johnny’s Store,
Alberta’s oldest general store (built in
1902). They inherited the Namao landmark
after their father’s death in 2020. Both
were busy in professional careers and
hadn’t expected to deal with the store
that has been in their family since 1931.
It had been rented, vacant, put up for sale.
But when they received an offer, “we both
called each other and said we didn’t want
to give it up,” Julie-Ann says. “It just didn’t
feel right.”
She hears stories and memories from
all kinds of folks who stop in. It might
be about “Red,” their great-uncle Robert
McNeilly with the flaming red hair, who
served up sausages with his two-foot-long
knife. Or they recall the selection of penny
candies, or when they used to stop by for
VHS rentals. “It’s got so much history, lots
of love, and we thought we could breathe
some life into the place,” says Julie-Ann.
18 EDify. APRIL.25