Aladdin General Store: Pillar of the Local Community with a Unique Tourism Charm

Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) is proud to be northeastern Wyoming’s largest electric cooperative, being a trusted energy partner to more than 12,000 members throughout the region with great rates and A+ service. In 2025, we’re running a series of features on some of our tremendous members, highlighting their dedication to fostering the fantastic quality of life we’ve become accustomed to and the economic impact needed to keep it! If you would like to suggest the name of a rural northeast Wyoming-based business for us to feature, please email communications@precorp.coop.

If only these walls could speak… 

Trent Tope often can’t help but ponder that about Aladdin General Store, which he’s operated in Aladdin, WY, since 2019, along with his fiancee, Jordan. The general store, opened in 1896, is the longest continually operating general store in the state of Wyoming. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, Tope is its ninth owner.

“Back in the day, the Middle East and that area was almost looked at as a magical land,” Tope said of his store, named after the town in which it’s situated. “It was looked at as Arabian princesses, sultans and magic.”

A Pillar of the Local Community 

For Tope, a better question than “What does your store offer?” might be “What doesn’t it offer?”

Goods that locals and visitors alike routinely stop in for include clothing, food, tobacco, alcohol and fishing licenses. Aladdin General Store, open Monday-Saturday, also sells gasoline and features a bar and RV Park.

“We’ve got it all,” Tope said. “The services we offer are invaluable. Whether it’s game and fish licenses for the people that literally hunt their own land to put meat in the freezer, to the brand inspections for all the local ranchers, they can’t take cattle into South Dakota without stopping at the store. Or even needing a pound of hamburger and some noodles to make spaghetti for the night because they forgot it at the grocery store in town.”

Doing business with Aladdin’s locals is necessary for Tope, but he also takes immense pride in his store’s role as a gathering place for Aladdin and other nearby communities.

Tope, whose family ranching roots in the area date back to 1892, finds it rewarding to play such a special role in the community. The store sits an equal distance between Belle Fourche and Spearfish in South Dakota, and Wyoming’s Hulett and Sundance. 

“I love the locals – they come in on Friday nights, talk and have a good laugh with friends or family,” Tope said. “They use this as a meeting place. Some of them will come in and I’ll say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ They’ll be like, ‘Oh, I’m just meeting so-and-so here, but I thought I’d come in and get a pop while I wait.’ We’re a huge meeting spot.”

Giving Back

Aladdin General Store is uniquely positioned in the community, and Tope does his bit to give back. He hosts an annual Fall Festival popular with locals and regularly fundraises for the Aladdin Volunteer Fire Department, helping to ensure it has solid vehicles and equipment.

“They’re my only hope if the store ever caught fire, so I’m being selfish, too!” he joked. 

A Visitor’s Delight

Any visit to Northeast Wyoming is incomplete without stopping by Aladdin General Store. Those passing by – especially bikers en route to the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August – who are in need of a snack or some gas will not leave disappointed, nor will visitors who appreciate antiques and century-old architecture. For those overnighting in RVs, Aladdin General Store’s Park is $35 per night.

Proud PRECorp Partner

Like many in Wyoming, Tope is fiercely independent. But when it comes to his energy needs, he knows he can rely on PRECorp.

“They’ve kept the energy going since before I was born,” he said. “I’ve always known them. Nobody likes it when you need something, whether it’s internet, electricity, or gas, but being a rancher, I know stuff happens. The weather in this area is some of the most unpredictable in the world. They’ve always taken care of stuff. Everything breaks, stuff happens, but they’re fixing it at midnight.”

Powder River Energy Corporation is proud to highlight dedicated member entrepreneurs and businesses like Aladdin General Store. If you would like to suggest the name of a rural northeast Wyoming-based business for us to feature, please email communications@precorp.coop.