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AU SABLE FORKS — A little less than three years after opening their Black Brook General Store, Robbie and Michelle Timmons have won the North Country Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year award.
“I think I’m still in shock. It’s amazing,” Michele said.
“I think it means a lot to us to be recognized as a great small business in our region. We put our heart and soul into it.”
Located in the heart of the Adirondacks, Robbie and Michelle’s Black Brook store is unique in both its location and its products.
church conversion
The couple took over the former St. Matthew’s Church in Black Brook, a 19th-century Catholic church, and converted it into a deli.
“The original church was actually built in 1876, so it’s a pretty old building,” Roby said. “There were certainly some issues that had to be addressed, but since it was such an open space location, we were able to do what we needed to do to complete the store with a few changes but a lot of twists. I was able to.”
“We worked hard to maintain the character of the building and make it a functional store,” Michele added.
The transition and renovation took about a year from closing the building on March 2, 2020, two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, to officially opening in February 2021. It took.
“It was great timing,” Michelle said.
The facility now boasts a full-service deli offering morning delights such as boar’s head meat and egg sandwiches, delicious pizza slices all day long, iconic Michigan dishes, and daily soup selections. This is a typical general store that carries a variety of products, including not only food, but also hardware, groceries, gifts, seasonal items, and more.
In addition to delivering these necessities to the small community of Au Sable Forks, Timmons’ store provided jobs to those who needed it.
The store filled a need and shortage in the area that hadn’t existed since the last store closed 30 years ago, Michele said.
“The locals there, depending on location, it takes 15 to 30 minutes to get to other local stores. So it gives them a place to go. Fern Lake, Silver Lake, Taylor. This store gave the seasonal community of Pond a place to shop, get quality meats and cheeses, Subway and sandwiches, and get essentials.”
success story
This positive impact on the community has not gone unnoticed by the Chamber, which is why it was an “easy” choice to win this year’s award, said Chamber President Garry Douglas.
“Robbie and Michelle Timmons embody the entrepreneurial spirit, creating a great new business out of a historic church building in the Adirondacks, and doing it in the middle of a pandemic,” he said.
“Their dedication and determination made Black Brook General Store an instant landmark and exemplary small business success story. This was a no-brainer and the obvious choice for Small Business of the Year.”
Although they have already achieved much in their three years in business, Robbie and Michelle both want to continue to grow their business and their patrons.
Roby said he always envisioned the store one day becoming a snowmobiling destination. However, there hasn’t been much snow in recent winters, so those plans haven’t come to fruition yet.
“It would be great if we could get a natural winter back and get more snowmobilers and cross-country skiers to use the trails in the area,” he said.
Michele wants more people to know about this store. She said the facility is technically located on the fastest travel route from Plattsburgh to Lake Placid/Whiteface, but people don’t necessarily realize that.
“So I hope that the more our name gets out there, the more people will notice and stop by on their way to the mountains or on their way back from the mountains,” she said.
“We’ve built a community there, and I think in today’s fast-paced, all-over-the-place world, it’s something a little unique and different for people to experience.”
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