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How General Stores in N.H. are Staying Relevant

A photo of the Cracker Barrel location in Hopkinton from the late 19th or early 20th century, when it was called Kimball & Co. Dry Goods and Groceries.

General stores have been part of the fabric of life in N.H. towns for over 200 years. But many of the state's traditional general stores struggle or have closed in today's competitive retail economy amid big box stores. We look at how general stores become the heart of a community, and how they are innovating to stay relevant in the 21st century.

This program will air on Monday, June 17, at 9 a.m., and will be rebroadcast again at 7 p.m.  It was originally broadcast on March 13, 2019.

GUESTS:

  • Rick Broussard: Editor, New Hampshire Magazine.
  • Shaun Geary:  a  property investor who purchased the Cracker Barrel Store in Hopkinton in January 2019.
  • Sarah Hibbard Pyle:  Francestown Improvement and Historical Society Building Committee chairperson. 

 New Hampshire Magazine published a guide to a few of the notable General Stores in 2013.

The Concord Monitor highlighted Shaun Geary's plans for The Cracker Barrel store in Hopkinton.

Read how the Wall Street Journal helped to save the Francestown Village Store.  Here's an update on their progress in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.

Photo courtesy of Francestown Village Store.

 

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