When Homer-area residents walk through the doors of 601 E Pioneer Ave., Suite 209, they will now hear employees greeting them with “Welcome to Verizon.”

Victra, Verizon’s largest exclusive authorized retailer, held a grand-opening ribbon cutting ceremony and community celebration for their newest store last Thursday, Nov. 21, in partnership with the Homer Chamber of Commerce. City of Homer staff and council members, along with regular community members, were also in attendance.

Victra, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, has more than 1,800 Verizon-branded retail stores across all 50 states of the U.S., according to a press release issued by the retailer earlier this month.

They now have six locations across Alaska, and the Homer store is the second on the Kenai Peninsula. Previously, Victra opened a Verizon retailer in Soldotna in 2023. Before that, Verizon users had to travel to Anchorage to visit the closest retailer.

Sydney Huber, who works primarily at Victra’s Soldotna location but periodically travels to Homer, said that the Homer store will provide the same services and products as Soldotna and Anchorage for both personal and business needs.

Victra’s Homer location currently has two employees in addition to general manager John Fromm, who relocated to Homer from Arizona, and is also seeking another part-time employee.

Find more information at victra.com/stores/ak-homer/.

Community members check out the new Verizon authorized retailer on Pioneer Avenue during Victra’s grand opening on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)