DRDC closes Fossa’s General Store, seeks buyer or lessee

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DEXTER — The Dexter Regional Development Corporation voted to close Fossa’s General Store last week, but hopes to find someone to either lease or buy the building.
    Judy Wilbur Craig, who was the store manager, said she is now out of a job. “Their decision did come as a surprise to me,” Craig said. “But I know it’s been a terrible winter for businesses everywhere. People just don’t go out in weather like this.”

Fossa’s General Store in Dexter

    Roger Brawn, chairman of the DRDC, told the Observer that business had been slow for quite a while “and the rough winter certainly didn’t help things. Everything came down to income versus expenses. The board was aware of the problem to some extent, but we were a little behind keeping up with the seriousness of the situation.”
    Brawn said that the corporation hopes to lease the building with an option to buy. “That will allow us to make arrangements to meet our obligations,” he said. “In fact, we’ve already shown the store to one interested party.”
    Fossa’s General Store opened in June 2013 and served as an outlet for locally-grown and locally-produced products and also had a commercial kitchen with a brick oven for take-out food. Several items like antique slate sinks and shelves were donated by other businesses in the community.
    The store was originally built in the 1940s and was bought by Mario Fossa in 1951. It was later owned and managed by his son, James, and grandson Jimmy until the 1970s. The corner building was unoccupied for many years except for brief periods of time as a print shop and discount store.
    This was the first business venture for DRDC and much of the funding came through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) of $230,000 and $140,000, a USDA grant of $40,000 for the kitchen and two grants requiring a local match: $50,000 and $20,000 from the Dexter Regional Development Corporation.
    But DRDC also had an unanticipated expense: rebuilding the wall between the store and the vacant Dexter Café next door when water started seeping in. “We were in a difficult situation to begin with,” Brawn said. “We had to spend a lot of money that we didn’t plan on right off.”
    Brawn said that the concept of Fossa’s General Store is still viable. “Availability of some items naturally depends on the season, but there are products right in the area made year-round,” he said. “The location is right and the building is sound, so I believe it can be successful.”
    Craig said that while she’s still trying to cope with her job loss, she has no regrets about being involved with the venture. “I put five years of my life into this, so I’m very hopeful that they do find somebody to lease or buy the building and continue the program,” Craig said. “We built up a good reputation and someone needs to take it to the next level.”
    Interested parties can contact Brawn at 924-1003 or 924-3063.