01/40 Rykala counter

This counter was used in the Rykala Grocery Store which was located in the Village of Eastlake across from the present-day village hall. As villages and neighborhoods were small “cities” within a city, neighborhood markets were commonplace even in the greater Manistee area. 

John and Kathryn Rykala, who lived in a house located behind the store, operated the market in Eastlake beginning in 1916. The store closed in 1946 shortly after the death of son, Stanley, who was killed in World War II.

After giving some of the store items (including this counter) to our museum, Mrs. Rykala gave most of the remaining furnishings to Michigan State University which established “Stanley’s Crossroads Store” as a display in honor of her son. The store and house at Eastlake were torn down in the 1960s after the removal of these items.