By DAN HEATH
KEESEVILLE — Keeseville is again without a grocery store after Bourgeois IGA closed earlier this month, but there is a chance one might open sometime next year.
Keeseville Mayor Meegan Rock said Rutland-based Mac's Market, which holds the lease on the building, has expressed interest in coming to the village.
Sherman V. Allen Inc. runs Mac's Markets in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. It opened a Port Henry location in 2007, in the former Tops grocery building.
"We're investigating whether or not to open (in Keeseville)," Mac's Vice President Bob Wetherby confirmed.
The company is looking at demographics to see whether the community is a viable location, he said; there won't be a decision until sometime next year.
Rock said she thinks it's a good possibility Mac's will open. She can't imagine the leaseholder and owner want it to sit empty.
"It sounds positive," she said.
TOUGH ECONOMICS
Still, area residents are sure to miss the service they got from the IGA team.
Owner Bruce Bourgeois said the IGA, which closed Nov. 6, fell victim to the slow economy.
"The rent was high, and the economy is just terrible," Bourgeois said. "People have to make their dollars stretch as far as they can."
He said the decision had nothing to do with a lack of local support.
"Our community has been behind us. We are very thankful to the community for giving us as much support as they could."
HARD FOR RESIDENTS
Chesterfield Town Supervisor Gerald Morrow said the lack of a grocery store places the area in a tough situation.
"It's a tragedy to the community because a lot of people used it," he said.
That includes a number of senior citizens who don't have transportation to travel to Plattsburgh for groceries.
The Town of Chesterfield runs a bus service that brings area seniors to the Keeseville Senior Center for congregate meals. Once a week, that trip included a stop downtown for shopping and other errands. The bus is now making one trip weekly to the Grand Union grocery store in Peru.
GREAT EFFORT
Bourgeois is to be commended for his efforts of the past two years to fill the void after Tops closed in Keeseville, Morrow said; he just fell victim to the tough economy and low markups necessary to run a grocery store.
Bourgeois and his staff went above and beyond, Morrow said, which included delivering groceries to those who couldn't get to the store.
"This town owes him a debt of gratitude."
Bourgeois said that was all part of his desire to give back to the community where he was born and raised. He said he didn't get into the business for the love of money but because he wanted to help the community after its grocery store had been closed for more than a year.
He praised his staff, who would sometimes shovel or put groceries away for delivery customers.
He asked all of them to provide a friendly greeting to everyone who walked through the doors.
"We wanted to bring back that old-time customer service," Bourgeois said. "Our customers told us they didn't see that in other stores."
E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com
