[MRVphotog]

Putney General Store Fire Ruled Suspicious, Investigation Underway - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

[Sherylcatmom]

More news & a vigil tonight. My Putney-area friends, devastated, are going.

Community mourns loss of Putney General Store: Times Argus Online

The article says:

"Putney residents have organized a candlelight vigil for Friday evening in the downtown village area . . . after the candlelight vigil, people will gather at the Putney United Church just up the road from the fire scene, for coffee and conversation."

From http://iputney.com/:

"Please join in community Friday Night on the Tavern Green at 7pm for a Vigil to share our sadness for this second General Store Fire."

[mustmove]

Looking at the picture I believe I went to that store a year or two ago. If it is the one I'm thinking of they didn't have an ATM. Sorry that is nuts in this day and age. I would have accepted excessive transaction fees at the time and I probably paid them down the road somewhere else. Plus it was typical old time general store dark, cluttered and dank appearing. I'm not picking on VT, just pointing out that you can't do retail that way anymore and survive. Proper retail is not rocket science. Anyone near Chelsea? They had two general stores both old school, and someone opened a clean bright kwikie mart type place between them and seemed to be doing well. Small town all three stores are within a mile. They might all survive, one of the old places has a liquor store which will keep it going. It would be interesting to see the numbers before and after the third store opened.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by mustmove

Sorry that is nuts in this day and age. (SNIP) Plus it was typical old time general store dark, cluttered and dank appearing. I'm not picking on VT, just pointing out that you can't do retail that way anymore and survive. Proper retail is not rocket science.

I keep hearing the same criticism but we know nothing about the financial health of the PGS. We just don't know that they "couldn't" do retail the way they were doing it. You make a lot of speculations but offer no evidence. I'd love to see some either way.

My friend who frequented the PGS daily said that people came and went all day long and actually bought things and that there was indeed an ATM.

[GypsySoul22]

That's really too bad. This is such a cute town (the diner is nice). Was the store right near (maybe down the road?) from the diner?

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by mustmove

Looking at the picture I believe I went to that store a year or two ago. If it is the one I'm thinking of they didn't have an ATM. Sorry that is nuts in this day and age. I would have accepted excessive transaction fees at the time and I probably paid them down the road somewhere else. Plus it was typical old time general store dark, cluttered and dank appearing. I'm not picking on VT, just pointing out that you can't do retail that way anymore and survive. Proper retail is not rocket science. Anyone near Chelsea? They had two general stores both old school, and someone opened a clean bright kwikie mart type place between them and seemed to be doing well. Small town all three stores are within a mile. They might all survive, one of the old places has a liquor store which will keep it going. It would be interesting to see the numbers before and after the third store opened.

Actually Chelsea has 4 general type stores in the village now and I am also amazed that can all exist. The 4th store was a tack shop with old time gas pumps, it's right across the street from the firehouse, and was renovated into a fancy convenience store a couple of years ago.

I use Flanders which used to be Uphams when I am over there, like tomorrow to help a friend patch his tin roof. It was bought by the folks who have a busy and successful little store in North Tunbridge.

For grocery I do like the Chelsea Country Store, right next door to Will's. The two your referring to. If you go into the two stores you quickly notice that they have diferent niches. The Country Store is a typical small grocery with deli while Will's depends on Beer, creamees in the summer and Video rentals. The Country Store closes early while Wills is open in the evening.

It is all about finding a niche and focusing on doing a great job with that. The small retailer does not make much profit with gas pumps anymore but it does bring people to your store.

[quickdraw]

Every general store, barn, steeple, and stone fence is a big deal in Vermont. A real shame when we lose one.

[nhrocky]

I used to stop in the PGS every week when my kids went horseback riding up the road about 3 yrs ago. The place was always busy when we went in and considering the place was ancient, of course it was dark....typical creaky wood floors. I do believe they had an atm that was over by the sandwich/coffee area. Having a fire twice in such a short time is pretty devastating. My DH did go up and see it this week and there isn't anything left, all collasped into the cellar hole.