Beloved Idaho General Store on Highway 55 Closes After Nine Years

Huckleberry ice cream lovers know there are few places with more delicious soft-serve than this adorable, Idaho-owned and operated general store. Hopefully, you were lucky enough to stop in and grab one last cone on your way home from McCall Winter Carnival.

If you made the journey up HW 55 to Winter Carnival this weekend, you may have noticed the sign yourself. The marquee at White Horse Grocery & Mercantile in Horseshoe Bend read:

"WE'VE ENJOYED THE RIDE. DOORS CLOSE SUN JAN30 6PM"

The general store has been owned and operated by Danny and Patti Ghramm since December 2012 when they enthusiastically purchased what at the time was Kalac's Snack Stop. The couple poured countless hours into remodeling and updating the store, with Danny spearheading most of the demolition and refurbishing products himself.

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White Horse offered Horseshoe Bend locals and those passing through on their way to Cascade, Donnelly and McCall groceries, take 'n bake pizzas, gifts, picnic supplies, potted flowers and more but they were most well known for their Huckleberry soft serve ice cream. The delicious and very "Idaho" dessert was made fresh at the store.

The store went viral locally after Facebook user, Rhonda BC, shared some photos that she and her family took in front of the angel wing mural that appeared during Summer 2020. It was painted by a local artist, Shalesesa Stevens, who paints windows for the holidays and did another mural in town.

Why Is the White Horse Grocery & Mercantile Closing?

In a message to followers on Facebook, Danny and Patti said they decided to sell the store to "have more time with family, to pour into and cultivate our friendships and to honor God's timing." Several fans have asked if the new owners were going to open a similar store when they got the keys. The Ghramms replied that when they last spoke to the buyers, they were still weighing some great businesses options but don't have any clue what they decided on. It'll be a mystery to everyone!