Our History

In 1921 John Hammer and Andrew Wikan recognized a need in the community and entered into a joint business venture, The Petersburg Dairy. They rented a shed from Pacific Coast and Norway Packing Company which is now where Anchor Properties is currently located.

John and Andrew would take a boat to Point Agassiz and buy milk from the farmers for .10 cents a quart then bring it back to town, bottle it and sell it for .15 cents.

In 1924 John and Andrew borrowed one thousand dollars and bought the lot where the Convenience Store is now located. This was the only time they would borrow money for their business venture. They dug the foundation by hand with wheelbarrows, filling them with dirt. They built a 24’ by 60’ foot structure and moved their dairy business to this location. With the extra room they now could offer limited groceries. They also changed the name from Petersburg Dairy to Dairy and Groceries.

To supplement their income John would gillnet in the summer while Andrew and Mrs. Hammer ran the business. In the fall John would take over running the business and Andrew would troll and haul gravel from Point Agassiz. At the beginning, as struggling business partners and with a leap of faith they had agreed that any additional income would be split 50/50.

In 1934 they again expanded their location by adding length and two more levels which consisted of apartments and rental space for businesses. Dr. Benson’s Office and the Blue Bird Café were one of several businesses over that period of time. The third floor of the expansion was nicknamed after an old freighter, F/V Norco which sailed the Alaska waters and was commonly identified by the “third floor” wheelhouse located high on the stern.

John and Andrew eventually changed the business name to Hammer and Wikan and expanded their grocery service, now to include limited hardware and houseware items. During these times most of the groceries arrived in bulk, shipped in barrels. Much of the freight was shipped from Seattle either on steamers or fishing boats returning to Petersburg. The fruit was dried, and the cheese came in 25-pound wheels.

By 1960 business had increased as well as the need for additional space. To meet this demand construction of a new store was started which is now where the Hammer & Wikan Hardware Store stands. By January of 1962, the construction was nearing completion which allowed for further expansion of grocery services to include hardware, hunting, fishing, marine, housewares, and a butcher shop. For the next 33 years this location was the heart of Hammer & Wikan and continued to be managed by family. To meet the continued needs and demands of the community the store was eventually lengthened, allowing for a larger degree of services. Customer service was always the upmost importance to the corporation.

Services to the community included delivery services by one of the first vehicles in Petersburg. Up through the late 1980’s boat orders were delivered to the vessels on a motorized jitney. This service was not without challenges. There were several times, mostly during extreme low tides, where the jitney would be unable to slow down enough on the steep incline of the ramp and would end up in the water. This unique harbor delivery service came to an end when the city passed an ordinance prohibiting motorized vehicles on the dock.

During the 1990’s Hammer & Wikan again found that the community was outgrowing the services that were currently being provided. In 1995 Hammer and Wikan expanded and opened a new and modern grocery store on Howkan Street with rental property attached for other businesses. Because of the strong Scandinavian influence by John and Andrew, and in the community, the building was designed with a Norwegian interior. With completion of the grocery store on Howkan Street, all grocery to include the butcher shop was moved to this location. This allowed for the location on Nordic Drive to expand services and focus on providing more of the community needs consisting of Hardware, Fishing, Hunting, Housewares, and many more essentials to include lumber.