Nordland general store to reopen as a community-owned resource
By Charlie Bermant
[caption id align="alignnone" width="2000"]
A fire destroyed the inside of the Nordland General Store, but the building itself, along with its iconic sign, remained intact. [/caption]
The Nordland General Store will reopen on Memorial Day weekend, almost four years after a fire gutted the store and the community. As a result, Marrowstone Island residents were left with no easy place to shop, pick up their mail, or meet their neighbors.
Today, a group of island residents are banding together to reopen the store as a community-owned and operated cooperative venture. The opening will coincide with the annual Strawberry Festival and Tractor Day, a community custom where tractors drive back and forth in front of the store. This year, it will be a particularly festive occasion.
“We want to make sure that the new store respects the heritage that the old store had while incorporating new things that may not have been available before,” said board member Tina Podlodowski. “We still want to have the same feel as the old store, asking ourselves how we can make something that respects the past while looking toward the future and engaging the entire community.”
The store first opened in 1922. Tom and Sue Rose bought it in 1994, operating it until the fire in November 2020. Since then, the Roses used insurance money and $35,000 raised through GoFundMe, which primed the pump for the new venture.
The initial goal was to recruit 300 members with $250 shares. As of this week, 426 people had signed up, and that number is expected to increase after a “meet and greet” event taking place at the store from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. At this point, the store has enough funds for the opening and to sustain it for several months, Podlodowski said.
The new venture is characterized as a “convenience store,” but it will more resemble a vintage trading post than a modern 7-11.
[caption id align="alignnone" width="600"]
While the store has been closed since late 2020, signs on an adjacent building advertising its wares have remained intact. [/caption]
It has always had more depth than the average convenience store, carrying local produce and regional fish products along with various sundry items. It had a wall full of DVDs and a “take one leave one” library. The next iteration will maintain the retro flavor, adding updated conveniences such as a computerized point-of-sale system and an espresso machine.
While DVDs aren’t on the menu, the store is seeking a partnership with Port Townsend’s Imprint Bookstore to supply a small selection of new books.
Imprint’s owners, Samantha Ladwig and Thom Nienow, are Marrowstone residents.
The store is also looking to partner with a local toy store merchant.
“There is a lot of excitement about this,” said store general manager Brian Waldera. “It’s all about getting the store up and running and becoming a central part of the community.”
Waldera said the learning process has included order fulfillment and supply chain issues. It’s been fairly smooth and less time-consuming than expected.
Included here is a pleasant surprise concerning the Jefferson County Department of Community Development.
[caption id align="alignnone" width="600"]
Nordland General Store Board President Patti Buckland, left, plans an opening strategy with General Manager Brian Waldera. [/caption]
“They have been great to deal with,” said Board President Patti Buckland. “You hear that permitting can take a while, there is a lot of red tape. But they were super positive, they actually wished us luck and were very enthusiastic about wanting the store to succeed.
Additionally, according to Buckland, the store has received “phenomenal support” from the Jefferson County Health Department.
Before the fire, the store’s value extended beyond groceries. A small Post Office substation offered shipping, stamps, and PO boxes. After the fire, island residents needed to travel eight miles to Port Hadlock for these services. (Island residents get mail delivery, but many prefer to use PO boxes, Podlodowski said.)
Podlodowski added that the group has been negotiating with the Port Hadlock Post Office.
“The Post Office is supposed to come back. They are waiting for some equipment to come in, but they’ve been waiting for more than a year. We are continuing a push to make this happen. It’s not just about the store itself that uses the Post Office, but the whole island.
“Most of our seniors don’t like driving to Hadlock to get their mail.”
Port Hadlock Postmaster Steve Spencer told the Beacon that the Postal Service has inspected the facility and will soon issue a report. One required change will be the installation of an ADA-compliant railing. The needed equipment is on order, but he could not estimate when the new facility will open.
The store expects to hire four full-time employees, supplemented by volunteer work from board members and people in the community. It plans to open for twelve hours a day, seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until September. Winter hours are Thursday through Monday, time to be determined.
For more information, go to www.nordlandgeneralstore.com. There, you can click on a link to become a member. Those who would like to work at the store should email jobs@nordlandgeneralstore.com.
