Sunlight Photographics has been one of the oldest businesses on Bent Street, opening its doors in 1979. At the time, it was located at Bent Street and Second Street, but the business eventually moved to the corner of First and Bent streets. Now, it’s leaving downtown.

Sunlight Photographics owners Brent and Kelly Ann Emery are moving the business to their home, where they’ll continue to do restoration of old photographs, video transfers and those types of services. 

The Emerys will be spending more time helping their daughter, Sara Wood, with her business, Wyoming Heritage Grains.

“It’s really taken off for her. She’s getting into some new markets, so she needs more help,” Brent Emery said. 

Wood grows her own grains up on Heart Mountain, where she also experiments with regenerative farming techniques. That means no pesticides and no till procedures that build what Wood called, in an interview last fall, “symbiotic chaos.” 

Wyoming Heritage Grains stone mills the grains to produce flours and mixes, which are sold through its online store and stores all over the state. 

The Emerys are also going to continue raising angus cows.

Meanwhile, Alleigh Richardson and Levi Strickland have purchased the downtown building and will be moving their framing business there from Gestalt Studios.

Richardson has been doing custom matting and framing for three years at Gestalt’s location at West Park Street. The business is growing, and they needed more space, so when they saw the building on Bent Street was available, they jumped at the opportunity. 

“Alleigh [Richardson]’s attention to detail, organization, affordable pricing and her eye for color make her exceptional at her craft,” said Gestalt co-owner Erin Johnson.

Richardson will continue working out of the West Park Street location, until the new location — which they’ve dubbed the “Bent Corner” — is fully operational. 

“Alleigh and her partner, Levi Strickland, are excited to own a building with such historic significance and look forward to many exciting adventures there,” Johnson said.

The 2,210 square foot main building was constructed in roughly 1918 and originally housed First National Bank; it was the scene of outlaw Earl Durand’s infamous 1939 bank robbery and shootout. An attached building that contains FM radio stations KROW, KBEN and KWHO contains another 1,440 square feet of space, according to Park County records.

The Park County Assessor’s Office most recently placed the market value of the downtown property at about $329,000.