How did it all begin? In 1946, shortly after his discharge from the U.S. Army, Lee Connelly purchased less than $100 of army surplus and drove around Idaho, Washington and Oregon selling it out of the back of his pickup. This was the beginning of Tri-State Distributors. As desire for army surplus faded, Tri-State, having settled into its current location, evolved into a general discount store featuring a wide range of products including Health and Beauty Aids, Cigarettes and Soda Pop.
Connelly died in 1968, leaving the business to his wife Doris, under whose wise leadership the business continued to thrive for another decade. It was in 1977 Doris decided to hand the reins of the business to her 26 year old son, Gerard. 1977 was also the year malls and large national chain stores began to move into the area; which proved to be quite challenging for a small, family-owned business. It was at that time Gerard decided to take the business in a new direction, one toward specialization and quality. His goal for Tri-State was to carry fewer categories of merchandise and to be absolutely Number One in whatever they did.
No longer “all things to all people”, Tri-State is now Idaho’s Most Interesting Store featuring the best quality brand names in Footwear, Clothing, Sporting Goods, Hardware and Housewares. Remodeled and expanded in 2004, Tri-State is headquarters to a small chain of contemporary stores doing business as Tri-State Outfitters in locations that include Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston, Idaho as well as Moses Lake, Washington. Tri-State Distributors, Inc. is the largest independent retailer in the state of Idaho.