BILLINGS — Blink on the drive between Billings and Cody, and you might miss it.
Bridger, population just over 700, is the kind of town many pass through without a second thought. For more than 50 years, however, one business has been turning heads.
Bridger Fur Company is a second-generation family shop, known for its hides and eclectic inventory.
“I hit the jackpot here. I found all sorts of stuff that I’ve been looking for," said Vicki Foreman, who was passing through from Wenatchee, Washington. "Look at that. That is so cool."
For many, the real find is not in the racks of fox tails or the shelves of skulls. It is in the couple who run the place.
“Hello! Yeah, that’s Jane,” said Doug Judkins, shouting and waving across the street.
Doug and his wife, Joan Judkins, are a pair as unique as the items they sell. He thrives on conversation. She prefers the background.
“Nope,” said Joan, simply, when asked if she considered herself a people-person.
Doug, on the other hand, is as passionate about pelts as he is about the people who walk through the front door.
“If God didn’t want us to wear fur, he wouldn’t have made the fur so pretty," said Doug. "The softness of the beaver hide is what really intrigues me."
Joan, who works alongside him, sees things differently.
“People always ask me, ‘do you have all of this stuff in your house?’ No, I don’t," said Joan. "I like flowers."
Still, she admits, the shop has brought in more than its share of interesting finds.
“We have a lot of stuff that you don’t even know you need," said Joan. "We’ve had fun stuff in here like kangaroo and we’ve had alligators."
For Doug, though, the real reward remains with the customers.
“What I love about this business is the people … people from New York, people from Colorado, people from Utah, people from Ohio, Indiana,” said Doug.
