'Face of the store': Murray Callahan of Austin general store family dies at age 93

Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman
·3 min read
In 2010, Murray Callahan, left, says goodbye to Ernest Nunley, who took a horseback ride across the country. They were in front of Callahan's General Store, where Murray worked with his family for decades. He died March 25.
In 2010, Murray Callahan, left, says goodbye to Ernest Nunley, who took a horseback ride across the country. They were in front of Callahan's General Store, where Murray worked with his family for decades. He died March 25.

Customers in the feed department at Callahan's General Store often queued up to speak with Murray Callahan, who died March 25 at age 93.

"They trusted him" said his cousin, Mike Young, who worked in the same department at the Southeast Austin store. "They'd line up just to ask him the price of a bag of corn."

Callahan worked for the family concern for at least 50 years. He never officially retired, Young said, but stopped showing up to work regularly about four years ago.

Asked the cause Callahan's death, Young said: "Wore out."

Born Sept. 11, 1929, Murray Callahan was the eldest of eight children. Their parents, Chester Earl Callahan and Lucy Goertz Callahan, traced their ancestry back to pioneers who settled among the forests and meadows of southern Bastrop County during the 1840s and ’50s.

Callahan's General Store CEO, president and general manager Charley Wilson works in his office Monday at the East Austin store. The office is also the former office of his uncle, Murray Callahan, who died on March 25.
Callahan's General Store CEO, president and general manager Charley Wilson works in his office Monday at the East Austin store. The office is also the former office of his uncle, Murray Callahan, who died on March 25.

Although both parents were Catholic, theirs was considered a "mixed marriage," because the Goertzes were German and the Callahans were Irish. Their children grew up in a rough board-and-batten cabin on a ranch. Some of them went to school in Rockne, a community that grew up around Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a church that was torched in the 1890s because Catholics and Germans were not considered sufficiently "American."

Later, when the family moved into Austin during the drought of the 1950s, they attended St. Ignatius School and St. Edward’s High School or St. Mary’s when it was housed at the old Perry Estate.

From 2018:The Callahan clan from country to city

In 1952, Earl, who served as Bastrop County commissioner, joined three partners in a cattle auction barn and feed business called Capital Feed and Milling in Montopolis. He later bought out his partners.

Murray's brother, Verlin, took over operations in 1964 when U.S. 183 was still a country road and much of the nearby land was profoundly rural. Murray ran the family ranch, but was drafted to join the feed business as the company expanded in the early 1970s.

Callahan's General Store CEO, president and general manager Charley Wilson pulls up photos of his uncle, Murray Callahan, on the computer in his office Monday at the East Austin store. Murray Callahan, who died March 25, was a favorite among customers.
Callahan's General Store CEO, president and general manager Charley Wilson pulls up photos of his uncle, Murray Callahan, on the computer in his office Monday at the East Austin store. Murray Callahan, who died March 25, was a favorite among customers.

As the store evolved — by way of customer demands — into a general store with implements and sundries, Verlin put Murray in charge of the all-important feed department.

Murray's likability and knowledge of farming and ranching was a key to its success.

"He was a direct kind of guy," Verlin Callahan said. "Yet at the same time very accommodating and giving."

"Longtime customers are part of our extended family,” Calley Callahan, Murray's niece, told the American-Statesman in 2018. “And I believe it’s that family feeling that keeps people coming back.”

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Callahan's General Store, like other Western wear outlets, really took off in the late 1970s with the "Urban Cowboy" craze. It was also a time when urban Austinites bought semi-rural “ranchettes,” Verlin said, to get closer to the land.

The Callahan clan were dedicated to Rodeo Austin. As a group, they backed the nonprofit that promotes Western heritage and agricultural life. They personally helped to build the Travis County Expo Center.

A sign dedicated to Murray Callahan is displayed outside Callahan's General Store on Monday, two days after Callahan died at age 93.
A sign dedicated to Murray Callahan is displayed outside Callahan's General Store on Monday, two days after Callahan died at age 93.

More than one person remarked on Murray's profound Catholic faith. He married three times; his wives predeceased him. Altogether, he had 11 children.

"We were very close. His extended family is still close," Verlin said. "When I was young, Dad was always working hard. So my introduction to hunting, fishing and outdoor life came from Murray."

Murray helped tens of thousands of customers during his decades at the store.

"Verlin was the head of the company," Young said. "But Murray was the face of the store. If this was a sitcom, it would be called 'Everybody Loves Murray.' But there was more depth and substance than that."

A memorial Mass will be held at St. Peter Apostle Catholic Church at a time and date to be announced.

A photo of founders Earl and Lucy Callahan is displayed Monday inside Callahan's General Store.
A photo of founders Earl and Lucy Callahan is displayed Monday inside Callahan's General Store.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Murray Callahan was a favorite of Callahan's General Store customers