Ben Deal, owner of Back Achers building supply store in Wallowa, shows off one of the more unique collectibles he has for sale, a 1950s-era eye examination chair. Deal is retiring and turning over the operation of the store to his son, Jack.

WALLOWA — Ben Deal is going to give his back a rest come March when he turns over the operations of Back Achers building supply in Wallowa to his son, Jack.

“That’s what they tell me starting in March,” Jack Deal said.

Now 75 and having recently become widowed, the elder Deal figures it’s time.

“I’ve been doing this for more than 60 years,” the 75-year-old said.

He started his first business in Berkeley, California. He’s owned and operated hardware stores, built houses and when he moved to Enterprise in 1992, he began to put down roots in Wallowa County.

“Actually, I came up here to retire in 1992,” he said. “Then I started a lumber yard.”

He ran the lumber yard in Enterprise until 2011, when the economy forced him to shut down. Then, the following year, he and his late wife moved to Wallowa.

“JoAnn and I ran it and our kids have helped out,” he said, referring to their three sons and two daughters, and all but one son helped in the store. “This spring, I’m going to turn it over to Jack and let him hire some employees.”

The store has four employees, including Jack, his dad said. The younger Deal said he has virtually grown up with the business.

“Since I was knee-high to a tall grasshopper,” he said. “I’ve worked in other lines, like construction and stuff, but I’ve always been around building materials.”

Jack is married to the former Raenita Bennett, whose parents owns Little Bear Drive-in in Wallowa. She’s a third-generation Wallowa County resident. The couple has two daughters and a son — and grandchildren.

“We keep on putting down our roots here,” Jack said.

While about 70% of what Back Achers sells is lumber and other building materials, it has a wide variety of offerings.

“I guarantee you that you’ve never been in a store like this,” Ben said. “I sell just about anything under the sun, new and used.”

That was quite evident during a brief tour of the store at 801 N. Douglas St. with its 10,000 square-foot front. Shelves are stocked with a wide variety of tools for as many uses, trailer equipment, welders, tarps, outdoor gear, electrical and plumbing fixtures and supplies, automotive supplies, cabinet hardware, gardening essentials, coats, boots, toys, games, kitchen items, clocks, some clothing, fasteners and much more.

You could say there’s everything — including the kitchen sink.

One of the more unique items is an old eye examination chair from 1950s.

“This will probably go to Portland for someone to put in their house,” Ben said.

There are also items of local history, including a sign from the Bank of Wallowa County that is now Community Bank.

“I saved that because I thought someone might want to make it into a door,” Ben said.

The store also has a wide variety of antiques and collectibles that draw customers from all over.

“I’ve got people coming here in the summertime from Spokane, Seattle and Portland to buy stuff to resell,” Ben said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind store. There’s just about anything you can think of.”

In addition to drawing customers far and wide, Back Achers delivers far out of town. The pink company truck will take deliveries to Lewiston, Idaho, La Grande and all over Wallowa County.

“I painted it pink to get attention two years ago,” Ben said of the truck.

Back Achers also has a 10-square-foot storefront in downtown Wallowa at the site of a former mercantile. Although it’s not a retail outlet, passersby can view the many antiques and collectibles through the windows. A phone number on the window is posted.

“If they want something, they can call and I’ll come down and sell it to them,” Ben said.

Outside at the Douglas Street main shop, the Deals have decorated the main building to look like storefronts from the Old West. They also have a couple semitrailers they’ll do likewise with.

As for future plans, Jack is putting in a flea market in the semitrailers at the main store. But he said he plans to largely keep things the same. He also hopes to remodel the upper floor of the main building to add more retail space.

“We’ll just keep on and do what we need to survive in Wallowa County,” he said.

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Editor’s note: This story was updated Jan. 29, 2021, to correct inaccurate information.