Closing Aunt Martha's

Encampment loses community shop

After 11 years of providing Encampment with a shop, Martha Braga is throwing in the towel, but not before thanking her loyal customers for their support.

“I appreciate the community’s support,” Braga said. “I appreciated them giving me the opportunity to fill a need, but now it’s history.

Braga is closing Aunt Martha’s This ‘n That, a shop she has kept open for 11 years, despite her battle with cancer.

Braga, who now lives in Casper with her husband for medical reasons, tried to keep the shop afloat for as long as she could, Braga said. But her battle with cancer has taken its toll. Braga closed shop on May 25.

But before she closes down completely, Braga is hosting a free thank-you dinner 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 1 at the building that housed her business in Encampment. She wants thank all of her loyal customers who supported the shop throughout the years.

Braga moved from her home in Iowa to Encampment in 1997 after she and her husband retired. The Bragas chose Encampment because they had vacationed there for many years and decided it would be a good retirement home, Braga said. But living in Encampment was not enough. Braga wanted to start her own business.

“When we moved to Encampment I didn’t have a job at that point,” Braga said. “It is just something I always wanted to do. I was retired and had too much time to do puzzles and watch TV.”

But Braga didn’t start her shop right away. She didn’t make progress toward her dream of running an antique and all-purpose shop until 2003 when she got some encouragement from her friend Roxana Johnson.

Johnson passed away last month, but played a huge role in helping Aunt Martha’s This ‘n That come to be, Braga said.

“If she hadn’t encouraged me to do that, I would have just sat there,” Braga said.

Johnson, at the time Aunt Martha’s This ‘n That got started, was already operating her own store in Encampment. Johnson’s shop, Ewe to You, had been in business a few years, so Braga approached Johnson for advice on getting her own shop started.

“I told Roxana ‘I would love to have a gift shop, but I don’t know how to get started,’” Braga said. According to Braga, Johnson did not hesitate to help.

Johnson taught Braga the ins and outs of the business of running a small shop, something that was very helpful, Braga said.

“She was in the business and understood those things so she could help me understand those too,” Braga said. But Johnson’s most helpful contribution to Braga was the amount of support she offered.

“I probably wouldn’t have done it if she hadn’t encouraged me,” she said.

Running a shop was never about the money, Braga said. In fact, there were some instances where Braga had to pay to keep her business afloat in order to keep her prices low and fair for all of her shoppers. For Braga, it was all about the satisfaction of helping others.

“I like working with people,” Braga said. “It’s very satisfying knowing that I was fulfilling a need in the community.”

Braga would get customers from all across from Wyoming and even some out-of-state business, she said. Braga said she loved to see customers come in, get what they wanted and leave with smiles on their faces.

Braga said her best memories from working at the store was the small coffee shop she ran. She said people would come and enjoy free coffee and talk.

“Those times were real special to have the commodity of the people to come in and have coffee,” Braga said. “Those are good moments to remember.”

When Braga was diagnosed with cancer in October and began her battle, she left the shop in the hands of another good friend, Katie Blake, who has been working at Aunt Martha’s This ‘n That for almost six years.

Blake said it is emotional the shop is closing, not because the doors have to close, but because why the doors have to close.

“It’s never been the same since they moved to Casper,” Blake said. “Aunt Martha’s is not anything without Martha.”

Braga kept the shop running as long as she could, but she said she is now taking the time to focus on her cancer treatments.

“(Katie) has been a wonderful employee and kept the doors open this long,” Braga said. “We kept it running as long as we could.”

Now, Braga wants to recognize those who made up the best part about running Aunt Martha’s – her customers.

 

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