Whaleyville store closing
Published 10:28 pm Friday, July 20, 2012
The general store in Whaleyville is closing next week and needs the community’s support one last time — to buy up its remaining inventory.
“I’m hoping we get rid of all of it this weekend,” said Debbie Broadbent, who was managing the store along with her husband and son.
Most items in the store are discounted as much as 50 percent off, including antique and collectible items, she said.
The family is disappointed that the store has to close, Broadbent said, but revenues weren’t coming close to matching expenditures.
“We’re just trying to get our money back,” she said.
Though they did not get as much support from the community as they would have liked, Broadbent remains thankful for those who did frequent the store.
“We had a lot of good customers,” she said. “I appreciate the ones that have come in here day in and day out, but it’s not enough.”
The old general store has been a landmark for decades, but has had trouble staying open in recent years. The Broadbents have managed it for a year and stocked a variety of food items, emergency supplies and other convenience-store items, in addition to collectibles.
The store also had a hot lunch counter, which will continue throughout the next week as long as the food currently in stock is in supply.
Broadbent said the owner hopes to lease or sell the building. Their last day in business is July 29.
Broadbent said her husband still has a full-time job outside of the store, so they will survive. She’s just hoping they can recoup some of the losses they invested in the inventory.
“I just can’t afford to spend my personal money on the store,” she said.
To contact the store, call 986-2140.