Main Street Business

Above: Deli counter worker Elizabeth serves up a slice of blueberry pastry that was hard to resist. The blackboard lists daily specials and where to find them. 

In days (all right, decades or even centuries) past, the general store was the heart of a community, a place to meet and make friends, get your supplies and catch up on the news around town.

Walking across the Copake General Store’s wooden porch, you’d almost expect to open the door and be able to sit in with a group of old timers playing checkers by the pot-bellied stove.

No such luck. But the place holds that down-home, small-town vibe, starting with the message “SHOP STAY GATHER WELCOME” as the first thing you’ll see as you step inside, painted on a floor-to-ceiling shelf column.

Beyond that, the space is open and airy, with white-painted walls and shelves you can see over. Those hold a large assortment of a whole lot of things you need for every day and beyond, including some you didn’t know you needed until you saw them there. Take a basket, you’re bound to find things to put in it.

Slowing life down

Owner Seung Suh and I met in the village parking lot next to the store, as she was hoisting a five-gallon pail of soil into the bed of a great old Ford pickup truck. She’d been filling the window boxes on the porch railings, and had to finish sweeping the remains before coming inside to talk. The truck is one of the store mascots. Bullitt, a Boxer who urged ‘pet me now’ when we met is another; their photos adorn t-shirts sold inside.

Suh was a writer and producer at WABC-TV, working in journalism in New York City for 20 years. In 2014 she and her husband bought property to build on, in Ancramdale.

After the hectic schedule of the city, she said “I definitely wanted to slow life down.”

But, she also had something that was “always a fancy. I always had a vanity to have a little hideaway, always wanted a store to curate.” It didn’t take her long to decide to work towards turning that into reality.

A dream becomes reality

The first step was taking a small business seminar with Columbia County Economic Development, where, “The woman who ran it knew the kind of business I wanted.” That led to exploring the possibility of taking on a store to make her ‘fancy’ become real.

At about the same time Suh moved to the area, the couple who had been running the general store left it suddenly. A group within the community kept it open for three years, and then, “They took a chance on me,” she mused, “With no experience as a business owner, that I could make a go of it.”

It was, she said with a laugh, “180 degrees!”

The takeover and offerings

She took over in September and opened in December of 2017, after a bit of “mostly cosmetic” renovation. Removing rows of what she termed ‘metro shelving’ gave a more open feel, and repainting created a bright, comfortable area where the products are shown off to each one’s best advantage.

The edible stock is a mélange of tastes. “I want to inspire people to try new things, to get them to cook more often,” she explained about the variety offered. “I would never sell anything I wouldn’t eat myself,” is also a factor in the selection offered.

Every effort is made to keep the stock locally sourced as much as possible. Many items are small-batch made. Suh said she searches for things that are “specialty as well as affordable.” She also looks for food that is “the least processed possible. It’s not as difficult to find as you might think. Many options are just as good.”

She does admit to having many sweet and decadent selections, and proclaimed, “I have perfected the chocolate chip cookie.”* If you insist on resisting, there are many healthy choices on hand.

“Supermarkets can be overwhelming. A store my size can earn the customer’s trust if I have good quality.”

While admitting that initially the store was, “selfish in a sense, the kind of store I would shop in,” she found the reactions to be very welcoming. “I was not the only one who wanted what I had to offer.”

A town hub

The biggest reward gleaned, besides opening a store in a small town where so much is sourced locally, is creating a place people can count on for everyday necessities like eggs and meat. Plus, “To me, it anchors the town it is in. Every town needs a place where people feel they can gather, a hub to run into friends, meet new people, share resources. A gathering place,” she reflected. “You become very good friends. I didn’t factor that in when writing the business plan. It’s a huge bonus. You can’t monetize something like that, but it’s a huge part of it!”

Most satisfying to Suh, “would definitely be the people I have met in the community.” She explained that as learning who is in the community made the store a place to share resources, giving “Do you know a gardener?” as an example.

“People are giving back in ways I never anticipated!” she said with delight.

Giving customers what they want

Suh would like to create more retail space, to make it even more into “a true general store, including non-perishable needs, home goods, and camping gear.”

“I have banana bread!” Suh turned to tell a customer coming in the door, illustrating her desire to get to know what people want and do her best to meet that need. “We get requests for everything from duct tape to truffles!”

She termed it lucky to have a chef for prepared food who uses the produce on hand. Any products that reach an expiration date are donated to local farmers for their livestock.

Making upgrades

Paving the municipal lot next door helped greatly. She mentioned plans to reconfigure the county road running through the village, which is hoping to spruce up Copake.

Because the store occupies a large space in the center of the village, they try to create activity with community events such as music on the porch or a man who comes in to sharpen knives.

Our talk ended as she jumped up to open the door for a customer leaving with hands full of water jugs and a coffee cup.

Checking out the shelves, you’ll see a vast array of goods that’s sure to appeal to pretty much any customer. Some are exotic, some are elegant and some are every day. For people staying at nearby campgrounds there are fire-starters, cut firewood, bug spray, playing cards, and Hudson Valley brand marshmallows to toast. Those needing a gift can choose locally made cutting boards, knives or bird houses. Household basics include toilet paper, napkins, first aid supplies, and dish and laundry soap.

When it’s time to kick back, pick from a large selection of soft drinks and beer, popcorn and chips, and ice cream. Cooking in? There’s pasta and sauce, deli products, dried apricots and mangos, and local produce, which that day included potatoes, onions, peppers, and eggplant.

Take some local honey to sweeten up baked goods from Pixie Boulangerie of Great Barrington, Bread Alone breads, or the general store’s own blueberry muffins or cranberry scones. Brighten a room with fresh flowers.

In the Grab & Go case, the most popular meals are chicken pot pie and turkey chili. There’s also organic chicken and vegetable soup, deli salads, and sandwiches. Choices for planning ahead included three types of ravioli in a freezer.

What customers say

The store is a must stop for weekenders and a daily one for many residents. On a cloudy, showery Friday afternoon, a steady stream of customers came through the store. Responses to questions asked of a few of them were unanimously favorable.

Jordann and Ryan were grabbing from the Grab & Go selection and quickly responded, “It’s fantastic!” when asked what they think of the store. They’ve been stopping in for a year and consider it very important to the community.

“It’s kinda got a little of everything, prepared foods to basics,” Austin and Sara enthused, adding, “It’s important to have a place to grab a cup of coffee, breakfast, or lunch,” as they headed to the corner to grab a cup of coffee.

Michael raved, “I love the store; the people are wonderfully pleasant. They save my newspaper for me!” He feels it’s an incredible asset to the community, and enjoys the interesting selection of goods; this day he started by checking out the produce lineup.

Close to home, offering different varieties, and meeting people’s needs here in town were three plusses Sharon cited, as she gathered items from various shelves.

If you live – or are visiting – nearby, need a spot to stop while on a day trip, or just want to try someplace new, check out the Copake General Store. Grab a coffee or tea and pastry, pat the dog, and then, in the good weather, sit on the porch or if it’s not so nice sink into one of the easy chairs in a cozy side nook, to enjoy your treats and watch this little corner of the world go by. The Copake General Store is that kind of a place.

* Did we check this out? Of course! And, the cookie is indeed pretty perfect.

The Copake General Store is located in the center of Copake, specifically at 171 County Rte 7A in Copake, NY. You can call them at (518) 329-3663 or visit them online at either @copakegeneral on Instagram or their website copakegeneralstore.com.