Does the Mast Family still own the Mast Store?
Yes and no. First, the no part. The Mast General Store became an employee-owned business (ESOP) in 1996, so each employee who meets certain criteria owns a little bit of the store, which in a way kinda makes us a part of the Mast family. Now, for the yes part. Allen Mast, W. W. Mast’s great-grandson, is one of the managers at the Original Store in Valle Crucis. He is a part of the ESOP program, and now his sister, Jeanne, is working for Mast Store, too. So, yes, it is, in a manner of speaking, still owned by the Mast Family.