The Francestown Village Store had a busy first two days and anticipates expanding its stock soon, owner Philip Lawrence said. “It was great. The first day we had about 200 transactions total,” after opening 6 a.m. on July 4, he said, with somewhere between 300 and 400 people coming through the store. They made just over 100 transactions the second day, he said, and met new patrons who were avoiding opening day crowds.
Many patrons were excited for the incoming deli and diner offerings, Lawrence said. He anticipates getting clearance from the state to sell milk, eggs, meats, and frozen foods in the next two weeks. Inspections necessary for selling beer, wine, and tobacco are next in line after that, he said, and was working on sourcing lottery tickets on Monday.
Currently, the store carries general groceries, he said, and he’s taking requests for specific fruits and vegetables to stock consistently. There are some shelf-stable milk options while the store waits to get certified for stocking refrigerated items, he said.
Lawrence is a Francestown resident and is leasing the store space from the Francestown Improvements and Historical Society, which acquired the building in 2017 when Nevadan donor William Smith paid the building’s foreclosure costs and back taxes. The store was known as the second-oldest, continually running general store in the country when it closed on July 6, 2017.