PORT ANGELES — There’s nothing that Jack Little would change about the last 50 years.
The 76-year-old president of Swain’s General Store in Port Angeles said he has enjoyed every day he has worked for the retailer over the last five decades.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he said Thursday. “I never had a bad day.”
And the store that he has worked with for so much of his career is showing its appreciation by throwing Little a party from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. today.
Those who know Little — whether they worked for him, or remember him helping them find the right pair of jeans or locating a piece of needed fishing gear — are welcome to share their memories, either through signing the guest book or bringing photographs to add to his memory book.
Cake and refreshments will be available.
Little started as store manager on Feb. 3, 1960, when Swain’s General Store was only 3 years old.
Now employing 45 workers, the 28,000-square-foot store had only four employees when Little started work there.
After working as manager of Peoples Department Store — at 200 W. First St., in Port Angeles from 1947 to 1983 (later the location of Gottschalks) — Little came to Swain’s to work for the family-owned store’s late founder, Cliff Swain, and help it expand beyond sporting goods, hardware and military surplus items to also include clothing, shoes, sundries and toys.
But one thing hasn’t changed about the store at 602 E. First St., Little said — the value of customer service.
Little said that’s what makes Swain’s unlike most stores and what keeps customers coming back.
“We are who we are,” he said. “We’re an old-fashioned general store.
“A lot of people talk about customer service, but few give it.”
Little has retired twice from the store, then returned for new tours of duty.
And if you think he’s retiring after his 50th anniversary, think again.
“I don’t want to be retired,” he said. “At my age, I’m working for fun.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.