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Grocery store sought to fill village’s void
Great American closed in June without notice
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Photographer:
Marc Schultz
Tribes Hill Deli, Nicole Weigel, moves produce in the store on Monday afternoon. The deli is selling more produce and more grocery needs since Great American closed its doors in Fonda recently.
FONDA — Grocery store owners are being contacted to see if there’s any interest in opening a market at the site of the former Great American, which closed two weekends ago. Meanwhile, at least one nearby retailer is boosting its supplies to accommodate shoppers. Montgomery County Economic Development Director Ken Rose said on Monday his office is reaching out to grocery store chain owners to advise them of the building’s availability. The store is owned by MDJ Group of New Lebanon, Village Clerk JoAnn Downing said. Representatives from the company could not be reached for comment Monday. Rose said he was unsure why the grocery store shut down because it often appeared busy. The visible location seems suitable for a grocery store, though the building is fairly old. “Hopefully we can do something,” Rose said. Located at Main Street and Broadway, the Great American was the only grocery store in the village. The nearest grocery stores are in Johnstown, Amsterdam and Fort Plain. Business has picked up at the Tribes Hill Deli since the Great American closed, co-owner Nicole Weigel said Monday. Since the grocery’s closure, Weigel said, the deli is now stocking fresh vegetables and dry goods, including sugar and flour. Peppers, lettuce and carrots were among the items available in the deli’s produce cooler Monday. Located at Mohawk Drive and Pine Street, the Tribes Hill Deli also carries cold cuts, fresh salads, beverages and canned goods. The Great American grocery building is located across the corner from a Stewart’s Shop. Stewart’s spokesman Tom Mailey said the shop has seen a “little more business” since the grocery store’s closure, but said managers aren’t planning to stock additional items. The Cumberland Farms at 2 W. Main St. also carries some grocery items, including hot dogs, fruits, milk, juice, bread and some canned goods, an associate said Monday. Fonda Village Trustee Timothy Healy said he is hoping somebody will reopen a grocery because people he knows are heading to Johnstown and Gloversille to purchase food. “Hopefully somebody will get in there,” Healy said.
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December 4, 2008
5:17 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Being a resident, Seeing how the building is at present, It should be tore down and replaced if another business is would move in. Besides the dirtiness of the ceilings and the air vents, the dairy section and the deli; the roof is far from adequate not to mention the wires sticking out of the walls where they put the new food coolers. On the outside the side boards are falling off the building, it is just in awful structural shape and if any business is going to spend that kind of money for repairs it should just raze the building and start over.
2:49 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Why doesn't Montgomery County offer some funding to someone to get this business up and running and have a agreement that some of Montgomey Counties welfare reciepients work there. This would bring some tax revenue back to the area,. help out the area residents that depended on the Great American to do their shopping ( cash their welfare checks) and also get someone off welfare.