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King’s Variety Store

455 State Street

King’s Variety Store came to Weiser in 1966 when they purchased Stanford’s Ben Franklin. Gary D. Munson (see obit below) was the manager until his passing in 1977.

As their business slowed from changing retail trends and the new online shopping experience, they moved to a new location 2 blocks North on the other side of the street at 650 State Street.

From Michael Gribbin

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650 State Street

King’s Variety Store in Weiser – Closed 2015

After more than a century (1915-1917), King’s Variety Stores will close down the last remaining locations – 19 in all.

The last Treasure Valley location – in Weiser at 650 State Street – closed in 2015. King’s used to dot the landscape all across Idaho, including on Franklin Rd. and State St. in Boise, and in almost ever small and medium town, including Emmett, Mountain Home, Nampa and Payette.

The closest stores – soon to close – are in Burns, OR and Buhl.

According to KIFI (Twin Falls), King’s cited retail trends and online shopping for its demise.

From Boise Development – 2017

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Burley based King’s Variety Stores has announced it will close all of its stores this year.

Liquidation sales in some stores began Tuesday. The company operates 19 stores in the intermountain west, including Driggs, Afton, Rigby, Shelley, Preston, Montpelier, Salmon, Rupert, and Burley.

In a news release, the staff and family of the M.H. King Company said the retail climate had changed in the past decade and made it difficult for the stores to compete with large, retail, box-stores and the internet. “Brick and mortar stores need feet and faces to survive as we have salaries, rents and other costs to cover,” said the release. “Unfortunately for us, that is not the current landscape.” King’s Variety was founded in 1915. The release continued, “It is with a mixture of sadness and gratitude that we announce the closing of all the King’s Variety Stores. It was our grandfather’s and father’s desire to provide everyday products to small communities that did not have access to reasonably priced goods. That business model allowed us to build a number of successful stores throughout the intermountain west over a long period of time.”

From Local News 8 – 2017

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Gary D. Munson – former Manager of King’s Variety Store

TWIN FALLS — Funeral services for Gary D. Munson, 39, Weiser. former Twin Falls resident who died Monday at a Weiser hospital of cancer, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Weiser LDS Chapel.

Burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery under direction of Northam-Jones Funeral Home.

Born Aug. 22, 1937, at Twin Falls, he graduated from Twin Fall High School in 1956 where he ,had been active in the student council and the band. He graduated from Idaho State College in 1962 with a B.S. in business and engineering. He was a charter member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and also served on the Idaho State Student Council.

Mr. Munson married Peggy J. Pike Aug. 30, 1968, at Pocatello. They lived at Pocatello where he worked at the Elks Club while finishing his education.

He served with the Idaho, National Guard at Twin Falls and Pocatello. They moved to Weiser 11 years ago where Mr. Munson was manager of King’s Variety Store.

Mr. Munson was a member of the Weiser Community Church where be served for three years on the board of trustees and was a choir member, served for eight years on the Weiser Chamber of Commerce Board and as its president in 1989, served three terms as president of the Merchant’s Committee and for five years on the Head Start Board.

He served two years on the Weiser City Library Board and as chairman of the United Fund. He was serving his eighth year on the Weiser City Council at the time of his death.

Mr. Munson was active with the National Fiddlers Festival and had been chairman for its hospitality center. He was a member of the Weiser Masonic Lodge No. 23, AF and AM.

He is survived by his wife and three sons; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Munson. Twin Falls; one sister and his grandparents.

Memorials may be made to the Mountain States Tumor Institute, 151 East Bannock, Boise 83702, the American Cancer Fund. Box 630. Weiser 83672. or to the Weiser Community Church Memorial Fund in care of the funeral chapel.

From The Times News, Twin Falls, Idaho – Wednesday -January 19, 1977

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