For Toshua Parker of the small town of Gustavus, Alaska, like many of us, there’s no such thing as a quick trip to the store.
Toshua runs a small grocery store in the town of 446 people. But since the pandemic began, ferry service to Gustavus has stopped….ferries that Toshua counted on to re-stock his store. The only way in or out of Gustavus is by boat, so Parker bought a 96 foot barge, and set sail for the nearest Costco in Juneau…14 hours round trip!
In late April he set sail for Costco, and returned with about $20,000 worth of flour, meat, eggs, produce, and we’re guessing toilet paper.
The grateful people of Gustavus have nicknamed Toshua’s store "Toshco," and he’s not sure if he’ll have to make the trip again. It all depends when the ferry service will start back up.
Jack Kulp and Carolyn McArdle talked about it on the air! Listen below...