Peggy and Al Seccomb have been the owners and managers of Al’s IGA in Tonasket since 1968, when Al took over for his father, Al Seccomb, Sr. They have recently announced the sale of their store to Paul and Lana Beyers. P. Beyers is the son of Ralph Beye

TONASKET – Al and Peggy Seccomb have announced the selling of their grocery store, Al’s IGA, to Paul and Lana Beyers.

Al’s IGA first started in 1949 by Al Seccomb’s parents, Al Sr. and his wife, Rene. That store started out as Al’s Market and remained so until the early 1960s when it joined the Empire Foods Market advertising group and it became known as Al’s Empire Foods. The store’s name was then changed to Al’s IGA in the early 1980s. IGA is a national and international marketing group of over 4,000 independently owned grocery stores worldwide.

In 1968, Al Jr. assumed the management and ownership of the business and has remained the manager and owner with his wife, Peggy. The departments represented in Al’s IGA are full service grocery, produce, meat and meat deli, full service bakery and full service deli both hot and cold, plus Al’s Floral and Design, a full service floral department.

The Seccombs have two grown children: Andrew, who is married and lives in Casper, Wyoming and Elizabeth, a senior at Whitworth University.

The new owners of Al’s IGA are Paul and Lana Beyers. Paul is the son of Ralph Beyers and the late Leona Beyers. The Beyers have owned the local Radio Shack and gift shop in Tonasket for many years.

Paul has been involved in and around the grocery industry since his graduation from Whitworth College in the late 1980s. Paul’s first job was a sales representative for Nabisco Cookies and Crackers. After about 12 years with Nabisco, Paul took a position with a national vitamin and health supplement company and has remained with the company where he holds a regional account executive position taking care of the West Coast area.

Paul and Lana have two daughters; the eldest is attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma and the second is a sophomore at Tonasket High School.

The Seccombs would like to thank the Tonasket community for the many years of support and patronage.

“We have strived to give the community of Tonasket a first class, locally owned and operated grocery store that could meet the needs of the local customers,” A. Seccomb said. “Peggy and I would like to thank all of the employees that we have had over the years for making Al’s IGA what it is today and especially the current group of employees that we have. They are really the heart and soul of what Al’s IGA has strived to bring to the Tonasket community.”

“The store’s priority is to provide the local customers with top level services at an affordable price and sometimes that is not easy with all the competitive businesses that are around today,” he added. “We hope that the Tonasket community will support Paul and Lana Beyers the same as it has for Peggy and me. After all, the local community does look to the local business for support of various activities and that is what makes a small town great. We all live here together.”

A transition date will be announced at a later time after all the purchase and business details have been finalized.