Binkard Photo

My grandma and grandpa ran a grocery store in the tiny town of Royal, Iowa — where my mom grew up — from the late 1930s through the 1960s. It was called Binkard Store. My mom and her five siblings all pitched in as needed. That store meant a great deal — not just to my family, but to the entire town it served.

When my grandpa passed away suddenly in 1963, the family rallied to keep it running. One of many stories that stuck with me: my uncle Bill, just 15 at the time, taught himself double-entry accounting to keep the books, all while managing a full high school course load — and painting nearly every barn and corn crib in Clay County to help make ends meet. (What's a corn crib? Check the Iowa gallery in my portfolio and see for yourself!)

In the fall of 2024, after my mom’s passing, I returned to Iowa and met folks who still remembered Binkard Store and the role it played in their lives. There’s still a small, independent grocery in that town of 380, not far from where my grandparents’ store once stood. My uncle Bill, my aunt Jonny, and I stopped in and chatted with the woman running it — 89 years old, still sharp as ever. Listening to her and my uncle swap stories, I was treated to a heartfelt history lesson about the town, our family, and that little store.

So I’ve named my business Binkard Photo — a small tribute to that piece of my family’s legacy, built on care, connection, and showing up for the people around you.