The heart of Barnard beats on

By Tess Hunter

Managing Editor

Our area is known for its general stores and the history, products, and people that comprise them. In this series, The Vermont Standard explores what makes each store unique.

There can be little doubt that the Barnard General Store is a sacred institution to the residents it serves. If ever there was, one need only look at the store’s closure in 2012 — and the fact that the residents themselves took up the coffee pot and stood behind the sandwich counter for several hours every day, raising the funds to bring the store back to full-time operation. Within a year’s time, the community’s fundraising efforts — which included benefit concerts and theatrical performances — were successful. $500,000 was raised, the store was purchased outright, and Joe and Jillian Minerva ushered in a new era of ownership at the BGS.

Only 27 and 24 respectively at the time, the young couple had some idea of what they were getting into — they’d been operators of grocery stores in the past, but were eager to take ownership of their own establishment. Of course, they had expected that establishment to be in Richford.

“Our old boss gave us the idea,” said Jilian, when I asked her what inspired her to take over the BGS. “I think he knew we were supposed to be entrepreneurs and meant to be working for ourselves. He owned several supermarkets at the time and was approached about starting another one in Richford. It was too far away from his other stores, but he thought it was a good opportunity [for us].” But the store in Richford was not to be.

“The deal unexpectedly fell through at the very last minute,” said Jillian. “We were devastated. But that very same day, we were told about the BGS. We went to visit it a week later, and the second we pulled around the bend on Route 12, saw the view of the store and the lake in the distance, we knew why the deal on the other store fell through — this was where we were supposed to be.” The Barnard General Store first opened in 1832 — as essential then to the early settlers of Barnard as it is now to their descendants. “We are the oldest standing General Store in the state of Vermont,” said Jillian. “Other stores have earlier estab-

See HEART OF BARNARD - Page 4A

Cassidy Wolf makes a sandwich on the grill at the Barnard General Store.

Rick Russell Photo

lished dates than us, but they have been rebuilt — mostly due to fires. The BGS is still the original building, from 1832. The post office used to be part of the store, as well as a barber shop, but I’m not sure what years those changes were made.”

The store is nestled within an idyllic triangle formed by the Barnard Post Office, Silver Lake, and the First Universalist Church and Society. Rolling hills ensconce the little oasis. An apartment sits above the store and Joe and Jillian called it home for the first few years of their ownership. Now it’s rented to a family with a small son called “EZ.” “The tenants have nothing to do with the business,” says Jillian, “although EZ — the little boy who lives upstairs — is my favorite customer.”

Jillian shows off a photograph of Barnard in the early 1900s — when it was the center of a thriving community which included a gristmill, two sawmills, a tannery, a blacksmith shop, a marble shop, a wheelwright, and two carding mills, all located on the banks of Pond Brook below the dam. Elsewhere, one could find a boarding house, a tontine building, a bowling alley, a printing press, a shoe shop, a carriage shop, a cabinet maker’s shop, two hotels, a harness shop and several grocery stores.

When I ask Jillian to date the photograph, she puts out the call on social media and tells me confidently, “I’ll have an answer shortly. Because that’s how this town works.” She was not wrong, by the next morning we had several guesses about the photograph — including an assumption that it was taken during Fourth of July Celebrations. Then local vintage car expert Louie Ahlen came into the store with a magnifying glass. “Based on the cars in the picture, it was definitely taken in the mid 1920s,” said Jillian. “Amazing how quick this community is to help with anything and everything, isn’t it?”

This time of year, with the red and golden trees framing the church and reflecting off the surface of the lake — there are few better vistas in the area than the one seen from the Barnard General Store’s porch. On the bright fall day that I was there to do my interviews, two local gentlemen were enjoying that very view. They’d run into each other by happenstance and were taking a moment to catch up and enjoy a cold drink.

“Everybody comes here,” said East Barnard local Fran. “When it closed down, there was no community.” His friend Matt agreed, saying he stops by the store once or twice a day — it’s the perfect way station coming in and out of town for work. “It’s a different environment than Woodstock. It’s calmer,” said Fran, epitomizing his words by his mere presence on the porch. “Not like the city — it’s no big deal if something doesn’t get done today, it’ll be there tomorrow.”

In an October 2012 article from the Vermont Standard after the store had closed, the paper wrote, “Gone for now is the popular gathering place which attracted locals and others who came to visit, to discuss local issues, pass the time of day, recreate at Silver Lake across the street and, often stock up on food supplies on the way home. The heart of the community suddenly stopped breathing five months ago.” One can only hope that the community leaders who sought to restore the heart of the town are proud to see what they have revived now. Community events are still a staple at the BGS. Jillian is famous for going all out for the kids at Halloween — trunk or treating, costume contests, a bouncy house. Once she even planned out an elaborate scavenger hunt. The Minervas also host an Easter Egg Hunt and a pajama pancake breakfast with Santa at Christmas time.

“All the events I plan revolve around the local kids,” she says. “The kids are my favorite part of the job. It’s not uncommon for you to come into the store and see me with a kid on my hip while I run register or cook. There are kids that call me Aunt Jill, others that call the store the ‘Barnard Jillian Store’ (sorry, Joe!). I also have a degree in event planning, which is a passion of mine, so any time I can tie those things together, I am very happy. The events are certainly a lot of work, but it’s well worth it to see the smiles on the kids’ faces. I honestly wish I had the time to plan more events.”

Other, more tangible staples of the store include fresh baked goods, local vegetables and meat, a plethora of groceries, an ice cream window in summers, and a deli. The old wood stove at the heart of the store makes it feel more like someone’s cozy country kitchen than a cold and clinical supermarket. “A lot of country stores have become more of a tourist attraction, which of course we are as well,” says Jillian, “But our focus was and still is to make sure you can buy everything you need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, whether you are cooking it at home, or having us cook it for you. And of course, the view of Silver Lake and the charm of this old building can’t be beat.” But perhaps nothing encapsulates the unique situation of the Barnard General Store quite like the stack of kayaks off the back of the building. The boat racks themselves are rented out seasonally (May to November) for $50. “They are the most sought after thing in town,” says Jillian. “We open up the reservations on May 1 at 7 a.m. every year. People start lining up at 5 a.m. outside, even in the rain. We have to warn people every year that any attempts at bribery for the racks will not work,” she adds jokingly.

Locals were uncertain of the Minervas when they first took ownership in 2013. Like all new people in a small town, they had to prove themselves. But prove themselves they did — through weathering the highs and lows of the season, engaging in community events, and tackling a pandemic.

“I’m really proud of the way that we handled the COVID situation,” says Jillian. “It was definitely scary at first and required us to make a lot of huge business decisions very quickly. We had to adapt. We lost a lot of staff because they were afraid to work in public, which was completely understandable. But we were determined to do whatever our community needed. While other stores closed their doors to the public, we kept ours open everyday for those who were comfortable shopping inside. We also developed a curbside pick up program, as well as free local delivery. We wanted to fill every need for every single one of our customers. It was a lot of work for our small staff to handle. Cahaos at first, really...but we made it happen. We have kept our doors open every single day since COVID hit, with the exception of Christmas Day.”

In answer to the Minervas’ hard work, Fran says, “It’s the people that run it that make a store what it is.” A ringing endorsement if ever there was one.

The Minervas undoubtedly have a lot to be proud of, but Jillian says nothing gives her more joy than working successfully with her husband. “We have been together for 15 years, worked together for 12, and have been business partners for almost 9 years now. It’s not easy owning a business with your spouse. A lot of people tried to discourage us, especially since we were so young. We both have very type-A personalities, so we had to figure out how to divide and conquer when it came to who is responsible for what at the store. It has only made our relationship stronger and I can’t imagine ever not owning a business together.”

A place to commune, to celebrate, and to steal wi-fi, the BGS is alive and thriving. In the end, the townspeople have only themselves to thank.

“I think there are a lot of reasons the community worked so hard to keep the store alive,” says Jillian. “Of course, the store is a convenience for everyone in town — without it, everyone has to drive outside of Barnard just to get basic grocery necessities, which isn’t fun, especially in the winter months. Our lakefront property across the street is also a huge draw and it wouldn’t be as great of a spot if you couldn’t get sandwiches and snacks for a day at the lake.

“But most of all, this is a gathering place for the locals. In a rural area like this, you can go days without seeing or speaking to your neighbors. But when you come into the BGS, you are sure to run into someone you know. It’s comforting... and the essence of what a General Store should provide. It really is the heart of the town and we feel so privileged to own such a piece of history.”

At left, the Barnard General Store is in a prime location, facing Barnard’s Silver Lake. Above, “Ez” Niles, 1, and his dad Zach, who live in an apartment above the store, stop down for groceries. Bottom left, Jillian and Joe Minrva, owners of the store, take a moment to catch up on the day’s business. Below center, twins Riley and Colby Palmer, 9, from Weston, Mass., get some corn “chowda” for lunch. Below right, the Barnard General Store was a busy place in this photo taken during the early 1900s. It is speculated that the photo was taken around the Fourth of July. The two buildings across the road were torn down several decades later. Rick Russell Photos