Charles H. Brewster: he'll wait on you himself.

• Author: Grenn, Ben
• Position: Founder of Brewster's Department Store in Anchorage, Alaska

The founder of Brewster's Department Store wasn't planning on coming to Alaska to open a clothing store. He just wanted to live in the Great Land.

Anyone who has ever met Charles H. Brewster likely knows that behind the famous cowboy hat and boots is a business-minded man with a gentle heart, who is as humble as the day is long.

For that, Brewster, along with several other Alaskans, was selected to be honored as part of the 13th Annual Alaska Business Hall of Fame, established by the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Alaska and Alaska Business Monthly magazine.

The other inductees are William Corbus, general manager of Alaska Electric Light & Power in Juneau and GHEMM Co. Inc. in Fairbanks.

The Alaskans will be honored at the end of this month in Hall of Fame ceremonies at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel.

"I don't know how I rate to get this," said Brewster of the prestigious award. "I don't know what all the fuss is about or what I did to deserve it."

Brewster and his department store have been Anchorage "institutions" for over 45 years. Brewster's Department Store, famous for carrying the Pendleton line of winter clothing, has sat on the same corner in Mountain View since 1959.

"We started out in the laundry and dry cleaning business in 1952, just a few blocks from here," said Brewster. "And later on, I never did in my wildest dreams think we'd still be selling clothes some 40-odd years later."

1987 to 1999 Alaska Business Hall of Fame Laureates 1999 Laureates Charles H. Brewster William A. Corbus Carl Erickson, Conrad Frank, Clyde Geraghty, Carl Heflinger, Harvey Marlin and Robert Mitchell Don Abel 1996 Bill Allen 1995 Robert Atwood 1988 Bernard M. Behrends 1987 Jim Binkley 1989 Bill Bishop 1994 Carl Brady 1990 Alvin O. Bramstedt, Sr. 1991 Earl H. Beistline 1998 A. W. Brindle 1993 Edith Bullock 1987 Larry Carr 1988 Frank Chapados 1991 Jack J. Conway 1995 D. H. Cuddy 1993 Don Donatello 1995 Oscar and Peggy Dyson 1992 Ken Eichner 1990 Barnard J. Gottstein 1989 Lloyd Hames 1998 Michael Heney 1995 Walter Hickel 1988 August Hiebert 1989 Roy Huhndorf 1992 John Kelsey 1991 Herbert Lang 1994 Austin Lathrop 1988 Dale and Carol Ann Lindsey 1997 Zachary Loussac 1989 A. Les Nerland 1987 Pam Oldow 1990 Milt Odom 1992 Raymond Petersen 1988 Elmer Rasmuson 1987 Robert Reeve 1987 Leo and Agnes Schlotfeldt 1993 Merle (Mudhole) Smith 1993 Charles Snedden 1989 William G. Stroecker 1997 Bill and Lilian Stolt 1998 A. C. Swalling 1987 Cliff Taro 1992...