Wednesday, it could be shopping for
electrical equipment and doing member
errands for local companies. And
on Friday, well, it all depends on Stephany Thompson:
what her neighbors need. Alaska Talkeetna, Alaska’s
The owner of Talkeetna haul of fame.
Shuttle Service, Thompson is Talkeetna Name: Stephany Thompson
part chauffeur and part personal Anchorage a taxi service, ferrying tourists
shopper for the residents of the from the Talkeetna train depot Company: Talkeetna
small, remote town of Talkeetna, to their lodgings. Soon she added Shuttle Service
Alaska. She calls her company “a shut- rides to Anchorage, shopping and Employees: Thompson and
tle service with a little bit more,” but miscellaneous services. Some cus- two part-time drivers between
that’s like saying that at Baskin-Robbins you tomers are too elderly or ill to drive far. May and July.
can get chocolate and vanilla and a little bit more. Others don’t trust their Talkeetna “beaters” not to Products/services: Tourist
Need a ride to the Anchorage airport, 115 miles break down on long trips. And in the summer, small- pickups, mountaineer trans-
away? Hop in. Want a deposit made at the closest business owners are often too busy to shop. portation, bank deposits, per-
bank, 60 miles down the road? She’ll do it. In the Thompson provides “a tremendous service,” says
market for something you can’t get in Talkeetna? local tour operator Geri Denkewalter. sonal shopping, rides to the
Designated
driver
Need a ride
in Talkeetna?
Here’s who to call
By Donna Freedman
CLARK-JAMES MISHLER
small
business
SMALL-BUSINESS owner Stephany Thompson
never has a typical day. On Monday, she
might take a man to dialysis and de liver
newspaper copy to the printer. On
Thompson has hauled intravenous antibiotics, air- In the winters, Thompson drives Japanese visi- doctor, etc.
plane parts, solar panels and much more. tors who want to see the aurora borealis. Each spring Member at: Anchorage,
“And groceries—lots of groceries,” says she brings at least 100 climbers to Talkeetna to tackle Alaska, since 1984
Thompson, 42. She’s the Costco queen, shopping at McKinley; recently, a group specified that she pick Comments about Costco:
Costco in Anchorage for everything from tubs of them up at Costco. (“They wanted to buy all their Errands come and go,
potato salad to cases of Dad’s Root Beer, from tires expedition food there,” she explains.) Thompson notes, but food
to beds. A typical trip runs $400 to $500. Not all Summers, she transports day tourists, fishermen shopping is a constant:
shopping lists are long, though. Thompson will buy and hikers. She often goes to Anchorage six days a
as little as a gallon of milk. “If Costco sells it,” she week, sometimes making two round trips a day. “People always need to eat.”
says, “I’ve probably picked it up.” “I love to drive,” she says. “I always have.” Her own favorite items at
Talkeetna, population 772, is best known as the The job can be stressful, such as the day she hit a Costco are the baby clothes—
jumping-off place for Mount McKinley climbs. Log moose ($9,000 in van damage; the moose didn’t she recently became a grand-
cabins house the town newspaper, shops and many make it) or the time that sky-gazing clients lingered mother—and the discounted
residents. There’s an annual bachelor auction and for hours at 30 below zero. Emergency trips are gasoline. “In the summer,
wilderness woman competition. Talkeetna has no rare—just a couple of hospital runs in five years. “I when we’re busiest, I can
traffic lights, but it has a public radio station that basically drop everything I’m doing and get them in spend three grand a month
broadcasts messages to and from homesteaders. there whether they can pay or not,” Thompson says. on gas,” Thompson says. “The
A Florida native, Thompson visited Alaska at 18 “That’s why I started this service—to offer discounts really add up fast.”
and fell in love twice: with Talkeetna and with one of something to the community. We’ve got to work Contact: P.O. Box 468,
its citizens. Next to her 15-passenger van or wheel- together in small towns. That’s the only way we can Talkeetna, AK 99676; 1-888-
chair-accessible bus, this engaging and friendly havethelifestyle wehave.” C 288-6008; 907-733-2222
woman seems even more petite than her 5-foot-2- (fax); tshuttle@alaska.net
inch height. But she’s strong from years of carting Donna Freedman (donna_freedman@earth
diapers and desks, copy paper and computers, mat- link.net) lived in Alaska for 17 years and fondly Web site:
tresses and macaroni. recalls the Talkeetna Bachelors Auction and
www.denalicentral.com
