Many descendants of Thomas Gilchrist and his sons were there to share their memories of working the shop.
The 1948 Chevrolet truck used for deliveries from 1948-79 was parked outside.
Helen Napier, nee Gilchrist, recalled fun times working in the shop with extended family. From the particular way to sweep the shop — sweep, sweep, tap to avoid getting dust all over the shop — to Christmas displays in halls around the Maniototo to taking saveloys and lollies to the ice on weekend winters where the Gilchrists kept skaters fed and hired out skates.
The Gilchrists kept many families in the area fed during difficult times. She recalled times when the brothers working in the shop took home groceries but no salary at the end of the week.
When cleaning out the safe they found a promissory note for £200 from July 1930, she said.
"I looked it up on Google, it’s worth $25,000, so I will be coming around some of the descendants later," she said to laughter.
Book co-author Paula Wagemaker said when time came for Herb to retire and Bruce to move on, the community raised enough money to buy the store, allowing them to go.
Present day Gilchrist Store business owner John Hellier said of the past four shop owners it had been the husbands who had instigated the move.
"The wives responses, in no particular order were ‘where is Oturehua?’, ‘why the hell would we want to go there’ and ‘it’s too cold’."
However, the community made it worthwhile and the store would not survive without them, he said.
The book was "a triumph", Mr Hellier said.
Getting the book published and distributed was testament to the community spirit that still ran deep in the district.
Ranfurly Transport transported the finished books at no charge and the Oturehua Winter Sports Club underwrote the publication of the book.
Club chairman Greg Becker said the club ran out of money and three local people stepped up to fund the shortfall.
Master of ceremonies Alistair Broad, who has been visiting Oturehua for 55 years, said the book was as close to time travel as we were likely to get.
The old Gilchrist delivery truck had no deck on it the day before the book launch, but local man Peter Shaw found a suitable replacement and made sure it was ready for the big day.
The event finished with an afternoon tea, to which the entire community contributed, including the maker of the "marriage proposal-standard" coconut ice.
