Clear Creek Stop Closes after 25 Years in Clearmont

The Clear Creek Stop store is closing after 25 years of serving the Clearmont community.

Shari Teitjen opened the store in 2000, and Anna and Steve Switzer purchased the store from Blake Teitjen, Sharie’s husband after Sharie died in 2009.

When Sharie started it was a convenience store and gas station, and when Switzer’s purchased it they added food and liquor.

Steve and Anna are planning to retire, and move to property they own near Recluse, a town in Campbell County with a population of seven people.

He will continue to do backhoe work for people, as a supplemental income. Anna is also a postmaster relief worker for several post offices in the nearby area.

Making a living in a small town is difficult, but Switzer’s have kept the Clear Creek Stop going for 15 years. They added more groceries, and an ice-cream shoppee that served milk shakes and sundaes. At one time offered catering as well and did very well with that business.

“I had quite a few catering jobs,” Anna said. Anna added that finding help is also difficult as there is not much of a pool of employees to draw from. The business is up and down, she said they did well last summer with the fire-fighters coming in for meals.

Anna said perhaps a part of it was the fact that they are ready to retire and go on to something else. The Clear Creek Stop has been up for sale for several years, but it has not yet found a buyer.

Anna said that they want to thank the community for their support over the years.