Our Story
Northwest Trading Post has been a part of Powell, Wyoming since 1986. What started as one man’s dream has become a family tradition — nearly 40 years of honest deals, familiar faces, and deep roots in the community we call home.
Where It All Began
In June of 1986, Jim left the oil fields around Gillette and moved his family of four to Powell, Wyoming. He opened Northwest Trading Post on East 1st Street with a simple idea: buy, sell, and trade — honestly and fairly. From its very first day, the shop was built on trust.
Building a Name
Jim quickly became a trusted name in the Powell community. He built the business one customer at a time, one fair deal at a time. By the mid-1990s, Northwest Trading Post was an established part of life in the Big Horn Basin — the place locals knew they could count on.
A New Home on Clark Street
In the late 1990s, Jim moved the business into the old Dexter building on South Clark Street. The bigger space meant more inventory and better service for the growing list of customers who had come to rely on Northwest Trading Post.
Behind the Counter
Jim was a hands-on owner. He was at the shop every day — sorting inventory, appraising items, and taking care of the people who walked through the door. For Jim, Northwest Trading Post wasn’t just a business. It was his life’s work.
Like Father, Like Son
Jim raised his son Aaron in and around the shop. Aaron grew up learning the trade from his father — how to run a business, how to treat people right, and what it means to be part of a community. The two of them, side by side, carried on what Jim started in 1986.
Carrying On
In June of 2008, Jim died unexpectedly in a motorcycle accident. His son Aaron moved back to Powell with his young wife and new baby to keep the family business going. In 2016, Aaron moved Northwest Trading Post to its current home in downtown Powell — a building constructed in 1947 that previously housed Moyer Drug, Skyline Drugs and Gifts, and the Merc.
A Family Affair
Eighteen years and six kids later, Aaron is still behind the counter. His children are growing up around the shop, just like he did. For the family, Northwest Trading Post isn’t just a livelihood — it’s a legacy they’re proud to carry forward.
Nearly 40 Years Strong
What Jim started in 1986 with a young family and a small storefront on East 1st Street has endured for nearly four decades. Today, Northwest Trading Post is still Powell’s locally operated, family-owned pawn shop — trusted by the community and built on the same values Jim brought with him from the very beginning.
Come See Us
We’re still here, still family-owned, and still doing business the way Jim started it — one fair deal at a time. Stop by 235 N Bent St in downtown Powell and say hello.
Get in Touch