About Us

Burney & Company is a proud sponsor of our school systems! We are also proud to support our youth in the community through 4-H and sponsor numerous events. Some of these include: the fishing derby, barrel races, egg hunts, and community picnics.

Customer Testimonials

“Burney & Company is the best store in America. What a hometown store truly is. Like you used to hear your parents and grandparents talk about. It has everything you need or want, great prices and sales, but it's the people. They are amazing. They are incredibly nice, happy and just so helpful! The man that owns the store is literally at the store everyday. And you would never know who he was, just a guy with a broom always cleaning, doing maintenance or wrapping meat and taking it out to the floor for purchase. It is truly a pleasure to have a place like this to go, to be treated as more than dollar walking into a store, but a friend and people saying hi, how are things? I love it, I pray that it is a place where people can go and get a little lift in their lives for generations. Thank you.”

“I love shopping at Burney & Company! They have most things I need without leaving town.”

"Burney & Company has everything you need or want, great prices and sales, but it's the people."

"A simple, well-priced grocery store in a small town."

“The absolute greatest meat on the face of God's green Earth.”

"Great store, great staff, fair prices, just about everything you need!"

Burney & Company History

The Burney Family

Frank Burney ran a store in the Nichols Building for a year, then in 1914 built his own store on this site. It stood for 50 years, being replaced in 1962 by the present building. The older generations remember the pot-bellied stove which was a gathering place for everyone. Nelse Christensen was a partner in the store. Johnnie Stevens and Marie Farrell were employees there for many years.

Frank and Jane Smith Burney didn't have any children of their own but several of their nieces and a nephew moved to the Big Piney area. Jane had two sisters, Flora and Myra, and the son of a brother, James. The Garris family is descended from Myra, the Marincic family from Flora, and the Wilsons from James.

The Garris Family

Myra Smith married Thomas Garis and they had a son, George Thomas, January 19, 1910, in Oklahoma. George, commonly known as Bob, came to this area and worked for Phil and Elva Marincic who was his first cousin. He then went back to Oklahoma and married Loreta Fite, daughter of Charles and Carrie Owens Fite. Loreta was born June 9, 1915, in Oklahoma. George then joined the army where his last name was misspelled as Garris, which he kept. He served in World War II. After the army, the family lived in Grants Pass, Oregon, where George worked in a saw mill. They moved to Big Piney in 1957. George had a welding business, while Loreta bought the Cottage Hotel. They soon bought a home, which is now owned by the Brays. He died April 6, 1962, leaving his wife, Loreta of Big Piney, and three daughters: Billie Charlene Blevins of Grants Pass, Oregon, Darlece Gene Traylor of Big Piney, and Linda Carrie Tanner of Big Piney. Loreta sold the hotel to Harold and Dorothy Wilder in 1969.

The Marincic Family

Flora Smith married Mack Feitz and their daughter was Elva. Elva married Phil who had come here originally from Austria and worked his way across the country. In 1911, he went to work for Charlie Noble. He was in the service during World War I. In 1927, he bought the Muleshoe ranch. Meanwhile, Elva came here to stay with her aunt and uncle. They met at a dance and got married in September, 1929. In 1941, they bought the Bill Luce place north of the cutoff on the Green River. They had six children: Phil, Jr., Mike, Donnie, Pat, Helena and JoAnne.

The Wilson Family

James Smith and his wife, Avo, had several children, one of who was Jimmie Virostko. Jimmie's daughter, Betty married Lewis Wilson.