Dave and Becky Wilke say goodbye, welcome new owners of Wilke’s

By Willis Patenaude 

When the Wilke’s retirement announcement was posted on Facebook in late June, the message was inundated by an outpouring of celebratory responses, well wishes, thank you posts and countless memories from people who have stopped and shopped at the grocery store over the years. With the departure of Dave and Becky as owners of “Iowa’s Oldest Family Owned Grocery Store,” it brought to end a 157-year legacy in Clayton County and the passing of the baton for the Elkader store. 

1982 was the year God intervened in the story of the deeply religious Dave and Becky, who met a few years earlier at Luther College, where Dave learned the art of business and Becky became a registered nurse. That’s what they focused on for the remainder of the ‘70s, while also planning to have a family, but somewhere along the line, they were told that might not happen, so they looked to their options.

This included coming into the Elkader location under the tutelage of Sam Moen, who was managing the Wilke’s store for Dave’s dad, Tom, at the time. But instead of jumping into the grocery business, the couple decided to do missionary work in an orphanage, which would have sent them to the Virgin Islands; however, fate had other plans, and before they were set to leave, Becky found out she was pregnant. Guided by God, they changed course and Dave started at Wilke’s.

Though they could’ve made other choices with their degrees and experience, the couple became involved in the family legacy and ushering in the fifth generation of Wilkes in the grocery business in Clayton County. It’s where they could focus on preserving that family history, as well as the honesty, integrity and family values that were instilled inside and outside the store in the small, supportive community in which it resided. It’s a place where you treat customers like family and where you can raise a family. 

It all meant more than taking a job in corporate America, and besides, God’s hand wasn’t steering them in that direction. 

From the beginning, both have been committed to the success of the family business, with Dave putting in 100-hour weeks and Becky acting as support staff, or the “gopher,” she said with a laugh, doing whatever needed to be done like advertising, promotions, counting coupons, book work and orders. Numerous jobs occupied her time over the last four decades inside the store, while also being nurse to what would eventually be four children at home. 

In Wilke’s, Dave and Becky saw the potential, how “fruitful” the business could be, and how it allowed them to remain involved and engaged in the community. 

Throughout the years, the pair has witnessed plenty of changes in the grocery industry, which has the store’s own written history noted. It would be unrecognizable to Fred Wilke, the man who started it all back in 1867 in nearby Clayton Center. 

The most notable changes have been in technology, allowing the store to progress from doing orders by hand to now all computer generated. Then there was the introduction of barcodes on items, replacing stickers, which had to be put on every item sold. 

When it comes to checkout, Dave and Becky have been through four different versions of the computerized checkout system, and the idea of a credit card reader in the 1980s was something you’d probably only see in a sci-fi movie. 

While changes in technology always present a challenge, the most significant challenge Dave and Becky spoke about was the flood of 2008, which could’ve been far more disastrous for the store if not for the quick thinking, vision and actions of Dave, which Becky described as “phenomenal.” 

As the whistles were going off, their son was telling them to run and cops were saying they couldn’t go into the store. Instead of abandoning ship, Dave made his way into the store and turned off the computers and moved the electronics off the floor. While everyone around him panicked, at home that night, Dave started contacting companies, detailing what would be needed in the days following the flood. As the water receded, there was a push to get the store open and operational as quickly as possible. Just 10 days after the flood, Becky recalled that Wilke’s was one of the only businesses open. 

The other challenge that sticks out for the couple is also one that stirred talks of retirement. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted nearly every facet of daily life, and more so in the case of business owners like the Wilkes. Personally, for Becky, the virus was “extremely hard.” That’s because Becky was diagnosed with Covid on three separate occasions and, at one point, spent a year at home on oxygen. Every time, it meant she had to be away from Dave, away from Wilke’s, and wasn’t able to be as helpful as she had been or wanted to be, because she was simply “just trying to survive.”

“My life kind of flashed before my eyes,” Becky said. In that moment, it became clear to both that they needed to discuss options and look for a new owner. But not just any owner would do. Though they were looking to transition out of the business and make their remaining years “the best years of our life,” as Dave put it, they also wanted to ensure Elkader would continue to have a grocery store and were unwilling to compromise on that. 

“We did not want to leave Elkader without a grocery store or without the availability for people to buy their groceries locally,” Becky said. Dave added there was a “responsibility to the customer base” to have the store live on. 

It’s a store that has proven loyal to the community, infused with the small town principles of integrity, honesty, respect and hard work, and built on the idea that, “if you live in a community, you buy in that community.” It’s also a place where everyone was family, from the customers to the employees, and a fair amount of local students spent some time working inside the store. That’s what prompted some of their fondest memories—witnessing those kids grow from being cashiers to principals and journalists. 

“I’ve seen them grow up. I’ve seen them work at the store. I’ve seen them have children and, you know, I think that’s the highlight for me. Just seeing how these families stay connected to the community and to our store,” Becky said. 

However, as of July 8, Wilke’s was no longer Dave and Becky’s. God’s timing provided once again, and a brief conversation turned into finding someone willing to invest in and leave the location a grocery store. This allows Dave and Becky to head into retirement and share new adventures, living out their golden years side-by-side, where they’ve been since Becky caught Dave’s eye back in 1976 during college orientation.   

New owner Casey Connor has a history of success in the grocery business and is someone Dave has known for over four decades. Although the decision carries some sadness, it was also the decision that was in the best interest of the business. 

“The timing was right,” Becky said. 

As Dave and Becky exit the stage, Ray and Barbara Delacruz enter. They will be managing the store for Connor. Ray has spent over 32 years in retail, including 30 years working for various Hy-Vee’s in multiple positions, including management. Prior to taking on this responsibility, the couple came to Elkader around seven times to visit the shops, meet the people and, in Ray’s words,  “check it out.”

Though Galesburg, Ill., is his hometown, there were things about the opportunity and Elkader, like the “beauty of it,” the friendly people and moving onto something new, that drew them here with intentions to make it a permanent stay. 

“This is what I’ve always wanted, something like this, you know,” Ray said. 

Since taking over, there have been a few small changes, like the end of the rewards point program, though Ray indicated a new rewards program of some kind is on the horizon. The store’s hours have also been extended, and it’s now open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as open on Sundays. 

As far as other changes, the Delacruzes are practicing moderation, focusing on small things like opening the front end of the store more and improving accessibility, while looking at additional updates in the future. 

The immediate goal, for Ray, is simply keeping customers and making sure the store doesn’t run out of products customers wants. In general, it’s been about learning the ropes, settling in and getting on with day-to-day operations, while also upholding the long-standing legacy of the Wilkes. 

“We are very happy to be able to move here and run Wilke’s. We have big shoes to fill. They are wonderful people,” Ray said. 

On July 15, the community said goodbye to Dave and Becky during a retirement celebration at Wilke’s. Former employees, community members and well wishers congregated through the store, giving thanks and congratulations. Dave and Becky were gracious and smiling, ready for the guiding hand of God to lead the way into retirement, just as it had led them to Elkader and Wilke’s.