Chinook Chamber welcomes Just Us Construction

Representatives of the Chinook Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed Just Us Construction to the community. Each new business is welcomed by the Chamber and given a first year membership as part of the welcoming. Just Us Construction is owned by Leta Gould and Don Solonen and is housed in what was most recently Mac's Wood Shop.

The building, purchased from Mac McHenry last year, has a long history in Chinook's business community. Bill Johnson bought the house east of the work shop and added the shop in 1926. Johnson Plumbing and Heating moved from a building downtown on Indiana to the new shop. Johnson's daughter, Lucille Oehmeke, said the shop was on the edge of town when first built. In the 1930's, when gas came to the valley, Johnson began converting coal and wood burning stoves to use gas. Oehmeke also fabricated new gas burning furnaces and did tin work in another section of the workshop.

Mac McHenry bought the building in 1989. It was used as a warehouse for John Brummer's construction business at the time of the purchase. McHenry modified the electrical system to accommodate his woodworking equipment and built an apartment onto the rear of the building where he lived until he retired and sold the building.

Just Us Construction

Gould and Solonen began refurbishing the building last year and have tried to "keep the character of the building but with some modern updates." In addition to changes inside, a new roof was added to preserve the building. The building is located at 307 4th West Street.

Salonen, a relative newcomer to Chinook, has done several building projects over the years along the Hi-Line including tiling for several Border Patrol stations, remodeling on Town Pump locations and residential projects in Chinook. Salonen said, "Leta and I are very excited to be able to salvage the old building. It's been a part of the community for 90 years and we hope to continue that tradition by making it an attractive and functional part of the town."