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Welcome to Ashton Idaho
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ASHTON — When you first drive into Ashton, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to see. But if you look a little deeper, the town of roughly 1,100 people has much to offer the outside world and one another. • At the town’s entrance, one of the first things people notice is a large retro mug of root beer suspended on a pole. The iconic landmark sits next to the Frostop Drive-In — a locally famous venue that serves burgers, fries, ice cream, shakes and its iconic blend of root beer. • Owner Hannah McCausey says the giant mug has been drawing in locals and those traveling on U.S. Highway 20 since the drive-in opened in 1965, although the mug itself was refaced in 2008. • “It rotates and spins. It’s the old-fashioned look,” she said. • Her favorite questions come from the kids. • “Kids ask me, ‘How much root beer does it hold?’ and if that’s real root beer in it,” she said. • Not too far from the Frostop is where the bulk of Ashton’s business is — on or near Main Street. Here, a variety of shops and restaurants keep the town alive and attracts tourists on their way to Yellowstone National Park. • Main Street has a lot of history, and much of the infrastructure has been there since the town was founded in 1906. • Take the Shoppe on Main. Today, owners Esther and Tim Ryland serve fresh espresso drinks, tea, and smoothies and sell crafts from local artists. But it wasn’t always like this. • Back in 1906, the Royal Hotel occupied the space. It had rooms upstairs and a restaurant downstairs. It transitioned into a Masonic temple in 1936 and held lodge meetings until 2002, Esther Ryland said. • When Ryland and her family got their hands on the building two years ago, they wanted to take it back to its original glory. • “The upstairs was completely bricked in. … My sister took the original pictures from the archives so that they could recreate the front of the building,” Ryland says. “This opportunity came up, and we always wanted to be able to support the local artisans and have a place that had unique gifts.” • All the essentials • Many of the businesses in Ashton are small, but they offer all the essentials. • Dave’s Jubilee, the town’s main grocery store, doubles as a gas station and the main place residents can buy food. It was originally a bowling alley in the 1960s. • “Ashton used to be a lot bigger. There used to be two or three grocery stores here and a couple of car dealerships,” owner Dave Jacobson says. “But it’s kind of faded out over the years.” • Jacobson, known as Jake, who’s owned the store since 1997, admits it wasn’t named after him but his father-in-law, Dave Merna, who took the store over in 1984. Back then it was named Dave’s IGC, and before that, Slusher Wholesale owned the place and operated it as a grocery store in the ’70s. • Jacobson says the store is an asset to the community. Given the distance to St. Anthony, Ashton’s closest neighbor, its good to have a place to pick up the necessities like milk, bread and eggs. • “It’s a hometown feel. Some people just come in here not even to shop — just to visit. They like just being here,” Jacobson says. • The same is true of HG Lumber and Hardware. The store is one of the longest consistently running businesses in town. It’s been serving the community for 52 years. • “I’m third generation for this business. It started with my grandpa and my dad and maybe someday me,” clerk and CFO Amber Steinman says. She runs the store with her dad, Richard Griffel. • CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/05...
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