From its very beginning Jerome has always had its general stores and markets. From the small mom and pop operations such as the O'Keefe (seen above) to the larger company store of the T.F. Miller building, there have always been those entrepeneurs who dedicated themselves to providing the citizens of Jerome with all their domestic needs.

The last market to cater to the needs of the residents was called, simply, the Jerome Market. It was located on Main Street below the Flat Iron section of town. It was run by Mr. and Mrs. Lomeli (seen below, right). The market was eventually closed in the early 70's after Mrs. Lomeli died.

Fortunately, a new market has opened in town at 412 Clark Street, next door to the Palace restaurant. Jack and Lisa Rappaport (seen below, left) have opened the doors to the Twin Star Market. Their goal is to provide "all kinds of goods" to the people of Jerome and to carry on the tradition of a family owned general store that can and will respond to the needs of the community. Their dream is to recreate the friendly, neighborhood market that used to be a mainstay of American communities.

          


Lisa has the business in her blood. Both sides of her family have run general stores in Minnesota and Montana. The photos below are of the family store in Red Lodge, Montana in 1910, which was owned and operated by Lisa's great uncle, Emil Heikkila.

      


For both Jack and Lisa, the opening of the Twin Star is a lifetime's dream come true. Not only do they want to provide everything from aspirins to toilet paper, from milk to pizza, from batteries to toilet plungers; they are offering a whole other line of collectable antiques, from table cloths to dishware, from radios to lanterns, from tv lamps to tea cans.

      

Jack and Lisa invite you to come and visit, look around, and step back into another era when the shop keeper knew you by your first name - when, if they didn't have something, they would order it for you. Step back to a time when the pace was slower, the service friendlier, and the store was just down the block.