He Wanted Antiques, Bought Half A Town

Jack Baker came here last week to buy some antiques, and wound up owning half the town.

He bought a 7,000-square-foot building across from City Hall, plus seven adjacent lots.

“If I see something I think might be a good deal, I go for it,” said Baker, 59, of Hermiston, Ore.

Kahlotus is a dusty farm town of 215 people located about 40 miles northeast of the Tri-Cities.

In a way, Baker bought the town’s history.

The town’s only general store, cafe and tavern were nestled inside the 1905 building Baker purchased for $16,500.

In recent decades it was known as Tom’s General Store, after Tom and Ann Kean bought it in 1967. Tom, who died in 1994, ran the business for 25 years.

Tom was a renowned Washington State University Cougar fan and Tom’s Place, as everyone called it, became a stopping point for sports fans traveling to and from Pullman.

Using money from a federal grant, Kahlotus school children in the 1970s embellished the store fronts and sidewalks with wood to create an Old West decor much like a Hollywood set.

Three people bid on the store, cafe and tavern during a recent auction. Baker said his bid was spontaneous.

“I planned on buying antiques. I ended up buying half the town!” he said with a laugh.