GREEN RIVER — Longstanding downtown business Sweetwater Trophies is under new ownership as Mike Frink has retired after 22 years.

“Retirement is strange,” Frink said. “I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Frink took over Sweetwater Trophies in 2002 from Charlie Stickney, who also owned Flying Eagle Gallery. At that time, the business was located on Uinta Drive. Before then, Frink worked for Sweetwater County School District No. 2 for 22 years.

“I got laid off so I ended up taking early retirement from them and I started working for Charlie. Our kids played football together so we were on the booster club and all that stuff,” Frink said.

Shortly after Frink started working at Sweetwater Trophies, Stickney offered to let him buy it as his daughter wasn’t really wanting to run the business.

“So I bought it,” Frink said. When Stickney was moving out of town, Frink bought the frame shop from him and decided to relocate the business to downtown Green River.

“I was heavily involved with the Main Street program, so I came downtown and bought the building down on Main Street,” Frink said.

Ever since, Sweetwater Trophies has been a staple in the downtown scene no matter what businesses have moved in and out around it. Now, Sweetwater Trophies is in the hands of Kayla and Bill Duncan, who know what it takes to have a successful businesses in downtown Green River as they own and operate Twisted Timber. Frink has been working closely with the Duncan family to ensure the handoff is done flawlessly.

“Mike has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition, and we’re grateful for his continued support to maintain the high standard of work,” Kayla said. “We’re really excited about the opportunity to take over Sweetwater Trophies and Engraving. When the chance to purchase the business came up, it felt like a natural fit for us. Sweetwater Trophies has a long history of providing high-quality, personalized products to the community, and we’ve always admired the craftsmanship and dedication Mike Frink brought to the business.”

Throughout his career, Frink worked to expand the business into the communities of Encampment, Evanston, Big Piney and other outlying towns.

“For us, it was important to carry on that legacy while also introducing some new ideas,” Kayla said. “Under our ownership, the community can expect the same attention to detail and customer service they’ve come to trust over the years, but we’ll also be looking at ways to expand and modernize some of the offerings. Whether it’s using newer technologies or offering more customized options, we want to ensure we meet the needs of the community today and in the future.”

Most importantly, the Duncans’ plan to continue to keep the business very involved with the community. Part of what has made Frink such a successful business owner is his passion for the community. When it comes to accomplishments, his proudest moments throughout his career come from his community involvement rather than business ventures. 

“I coached little league basketball for around ten years, a long time,” Frink said. “I really just like doing stuff for people, supporting the community. I sponsored a lot of sports and kids doing different things, speech and debate, drama, all the high school stuff here.”

As as business, Sweetwater Trophies has provided the trophies for the school district, as well as a lot of signage and name tags. With the help of SCSD No. 2 Board of Trustee and former teacher and athletic director, Tom Wilson, Frink designed the Hall of Fame display that stretches through the main hallway of Green River High School.

“Tom Wilson and I sat down and designed the plaques and the awards that go on the wall with their bios and pictures,” he said. “He and I designed those frames to put that in there. So that was a big thing.”

“We’re also committed to keeping that personal connection with our clients and the community,” Kayla said.

Despite earning himself a relaxing retirement, Frink says selling the business is a bittersweet moment. His wife retired from Western Wyoming Community College first, and that’s what got him thinking about his own retirement.

“I started talking to some people, and and Bill and Kayla came over and talked to me. We sat down, made an agreement, and we just did it,” he said.

His plans for retirement include traveling, camping, hunting, fishing, “all that kind of fun stuff.” However, he already finds himself missing the many customers who he met through the years.

“I miss it. I miss all the customers. I made a lot of relationships, so I’m going to miss all the people for sure,” he said. “I’d just like to say thanks for the support from the community. I really appreciate my customers who helped support me as a business person.”