A Revolving Door
By Bob Bumcrot

After only nine months of operation, the Colebrook Store closed its doors at the end of March due to significant management differences between the owners of the building, the Colebrook Preservation Society (CPS), and the store operator, Miriam Briggs. Briggs, who lives above the store with her sons Quentin, 14, and Francis, 12, said that she will remain until late June when the boys will have finished their school terms at Colebrook school and Northwestern Regional 7 High School. Subsequent plans are unclear.

The 200-year-old landmark building, which was until 2007 the oldest continuously operated general store in Connecticut, was purchased last summer by CPS. The $85,000 purchase price, as well as additional funds, came from interested full- and part-time residents of both Colebrook and Norfolk, including members of the Society. Following a meeting on April 13, CPS President Edward Lord released the following explanatory statement:
“The Colebrook Storeís tenant and operator closed the store at the end of March after approximately 9 months of operations and has advised the store owner, the Colebrook Preservation Society, that she intends not to reopen and to vacate the property on or before the end of June, which is prior to the end of her first lease term. CPS acquired the property in July 2013 through the generous contributions of many area residents to stabilize, improve and preserve the historic landmark.
In view of the above, when the current lease is terminated, CPSís intent is to lease the property to a tenant with the best business plan, adequate working capital, and operating experience to be a retail success in the community.”

Briggs, who grew up in the area with fond memories of the store, moved back from northern Vermont to be nearer her parents and decided to reopen the establishment as it had been, together with a yarn store along the lines of one she had owned and operated for many years.

“I was self-employed for over 20 years,” she said. “I always paid my rent on time. At first [the CPS] said that the store was mine to operate. But then [some CPS members] began to become too intrusive, insisting on certain foods in the deli case, which resulted in over a thousand dollars of wastage, demanding to look at my books, and so on. They treated me terribly.” The previous operator left in 2007 after a brief period, leaving a message that has been variously characterized as intemperate and vituperative.

Lord, who has been in real estate for 35 years, including involvement with over 40 shopping centers and small stores, said that that the suggestions made about what to stock were just suggestions based on experience and that “we needed to check that taxes and utilities are being paid.”

The lease called for the store to generate at least $50,000 in yearly sales as a condition for renewal—a figure that Lord maintained was probably too low for successful continued operation.

“Everyone in town is still behind getting the store going again,” said Lord. “There has already been a flood of inquiries from potential operators. We’re looking for someone with demonstrated skill in food preparation and running a small business and, also of great importance, working capital.”

“This is a sad outcome for everyone,” said Jim Millar, CPS treasurer, retired banker and Colebrook Board of Finance chairman. “We all wish Miriam well,” added Lord.