Tanglewood Supply
(Galen Gray’s Store)
Galen and Charlotte Gray ran a supply store, snack bar and gas station just on the Nikiski side of where the Marathon Refinery now stands.
The store began in the Gray’s home on Bernice Lake as a way to supply neighbors with shelf goods so they didn’t need to drive to town. When business grew, they put a Quonset hut on the North Road, not far from the tank farm. Later a log building was added behind the store for extra storage. Eventually one side was knocked out to add a kitchen and snack bar.
Memories of the store, shared locally:
Pam Lashley: “I remember that. We lived on Port Nikiski dock at the time … a place we could walk and get candy.”
Karen McGahan: “I certainly remember it well. It was our main grocery store.”
Ria Fandel: “We would stop there and have some coffee, on the way to the mailbox.”
Sammie Strawn: “The only place to shop.”
Tanglewood Supply
The nikiski church of christ, 2022
Sonja Wilson stands inside the door of Tanglewood Supply
(Photo Credit: Once Upon the Kenai)
It was a regular occurrence for helicopters to take off from the store parking lot.
The photo below was provided by Debi Stone. Her mother, Ila McGahan Davidson, worked there around 1965 when the picture was taken.
