MAY WE INTEREST YOU
IN RUNNING A VERMONT COUNTRY STORE?
THE STRAFFORD GENERAL STORE OPPORTUNITY
LEASE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY MINDED STORE OWNER-MANAGER
The Strafford general store is one of the iconic Vermont country stores for which the state is famous. Today, the store is the centerpiece of the Strafford community and surrounding areas, providing not only groceries but also a community space for meeting friends, hosting local pie sales and community raffles, posting messages, buying gasoline and hardware, doing laundry, getting a cup of coffee, providing both ATM and a big-game check-in station, and, importantly, housing both a branch of Mascoma Bank and a US Post Office. For a record-setting 47 years, this cherished landmark has been operated by the admired Coburn family, but the family has decided to sell the building and the general store business.
The newly formed Strafford Community Trust (SCT), a local charity run by volunteers, has purchased an option to buy the building and business from the Coburns, and we aim to ensure that the store and the other tenants continue to provide needed and much appreciated services to the community.
The store is currently an open, ongoing proposition, ready to operate. Our progress to this point has been made possible by the enormously generous contributions, financial and otherwise, from the local community. SCT has now opened this search process to consider enterprising candidates to take the role of owner-manager of the store and premises. To the right person or group, SCT is prepared to lease the building, including the premises of the store and tenants, on favorable terms. Our plan is to own and manage the historic property but not to own or operate the store.
We now invite expressions of interest in the store. SCT has formed a Search Committee, and interest can be communicated to search@straffordcommunitytrust.org!
That can lead to private conversations between SCT and potentially interested parties. Parties might include an individual or family proprietorship, a partnership, a new corporation or co-op dedicated to owning and running the store. To initiate a conversation, We will endeavor to keep conversations confidential.
Here are some qualities we are looking for from the lessee:
*Strong business acumen
*A friendly, outgoing personality
*A passion for the collaborative, community-centered nature of the project.We are interested in who you are, your early thoughts on how you will make this undertaking a success, and how your experience equips you to do this.
At some point, we may ask you to submit in writing the following:
*Your relevant experience and competencies
*References
*A business plan. Store financial information can be made available to assist you. You may have thoughts for increased store revenue, community support, or other changes. We have heard from some Strafford residents and other stores about these matters and can pass that information on.
As for the SCT’s role, we will consider ourselves a “nurturing landlord,” doing everything we can to make the business successful and also reflecting the community’s needs and wants. The lessee and SCT will agree on various community-support parameters. We will maintain the facility including the equipment we own as well as carry out needed upgrades.
We encourage early expressions of interest!
Preliminary or uncertain interest is welcomed. If you are thinking about it, we expect you have lots of questions, and we are ready to answer them.
The Coburns’ General Store is located at 216 Vermont Route 132, South Strafford, Vermont 05070.
With Appreciation,
The Strafford General Store Search Committee
(Trudi Brock, Gus Speth, Rosi Kerr and Rebecca Seibel)
