Ziska's Store
circa 1930s

In 1921, three Ziska sisters - Alice, Helen and Anna - and brother, Bert, opened a grocery and dry goods store in Exeter, Nebraska in the same location as the Failing Brothers Grocery Store that closed in 1917. Bert moved to Denver in 1928 and the grocery stock was sold to Louis and Lucile Barkmeier who operated a grocery business in another location. 

Peoples Grocery
circa 1936

Louis and Lucile Barkmeier began in the grocery business in Exeter, Nebraska in 1928, when they purchased the Peoples Grocery from Lee and Ida Harold.  They operated this grocery store until 1945 and then bought the Ziska building in Exeter.  After moving to the new location, they added dry goods stock and wearing apparel and operated this business as Barkmeier's Store until 1968.  Gail and Barbara (Barkmeier) Heffelfinger purchased the business and continued to operate Barkmeier's Store until a severe wind storm caused significant damage to the building that resulted in the store closing in July 1993.

Barkmeier's Store
1988

Barkmeier's Store photos courtesy of  Dr. Ann E. Tice (Barkmeier)

Barkmeier's Store - After wind storm on July 8, 1993 (The building was eventually torn down.)