It was a frigid, cold Saturday morning in Francestown, but that didn’t stop dozens of residents from congregating around space heaters to marvel at the currently closed Francestown Village Store.
With temperatures in the teens and little heat in the building, residents donned their warmest jackets and sipped coffee while checking in on the construction com pleted thus far.
“It’s gorgeous, I love the exposed beams,” resident Carol Brock said. “Everyone loves this store. To see the progress is amazing… it’s like coming back home.”
The Francestown Village Store has been closed since July 6, 2017 after more than 200 years of operation. It was known as the second-oldest, continually running general store in the country.
The store has been given a shot to reopen after a Nevada man by the name of William Smith donated $125,000 in the summer of 2017 to pay the foreclosure costs and back taxes on the property. The building is currently owned by the Francestown Improvement and Historical Society (FIHS).
“It’s really fun to see the innards of a place you love,” FIHS member Sarah Pyle said. “… this town is desperate to get this store back open and they’ve shown it in a variety of ways.”
To date, over 100 people have donated money to the construction of the project’s cost – which totals $160,000. That doesn’t account for the items, raffle tickets, and other things donated or purchased to support the project.
“The closer we get, the more exciting it is,” resident John Thalhauser said. “I hope the fundraising continues to come in.”
Thalhauser lives a few houses down from the site of the Francestown General Store and said it was nice to finally be back in the building, even if there isn’t a store operating in the space.
“I like the open concept, it looks really nice,” Thalhauser said. “Now the important thing is to find someone with the passion to run it.”
The FIHS is currently accepting requests for proposal for those looking to operate a store within the building via a lease agreement.
Pyle told the Ledger-Transcript in December that the goal was to have the revitalized store operating by spring or summer.
Many residents on Saturday spoke to the need of having a local place to shop for essential items and to meet up with friends and family.
“The town definitely needs something,” resident Bob Abbott said. “It’s a convenience to have a place in town when you want a cup of coffee, or to get some groceries.”
Saturday was a nostalgic experience for FIHS member Jennifer Vadney, as her family owned the store from the 1940s through the 1980s.
Vadney said that much of her time visiting her grandparents as a kid would happen in the store itself.
“I think my grandparents would be proud,” Vadney said. “… this building is 200 years old and its still in good shape.”
Project contractor Robert Rokes said Saturday that all structural work and demolition inside the building is complete, with electrical, plumbing and new windows being part of the next phase of the project.
“There’s no real heat right now. I’d love to get some insulation in here, but we need to wait on electrical and other stuff,” Rokes said. “… I’ve been coming here since I could walk. This place is a necessity.”