Genesee’s grocery store to close Friday

Genesee’s only grocery store is closing, and residents and city officials say the loss will greatly affect the community.

Genesee Food Center, on the corner of Chestnut and Pine streets, will close Friday, according to employees and a sign posted on the front door of the business. Genesee Mayor Steve Odenborg estimated the store has served the community at that location for about 50 years.

Latah County Treasurer BJ Swanson said Zions Bank foreclosed on the store and now owns the property. Swanson said Zions also foreclosed on the Troy Market in downtown Troy and owns that property as well. Troy Market stopped operation in November.

The stores were owned by Garry Collins, according to Latah County Commissioner Dave McGraw. A Genesee Food Center manager Wednesday refused to comment aside from saying the store will close Friday.

Genesee residents and city officials said locals mainly use Genesee Food Center to grab a few items when needed, and they do their primary grocery shopping in Moscow or Lewiston, where they work. But some, especially residents who are older, disabled and/or do not own a vehicle, use the store to buy all their groceries, they said.

Vanessa VanLeuven, who co-owns Stomping Grounds Coffeehouse in Genesee with her husband, Keith, said she buys milk and eggs from Genesee Food Center about once a week when she runs out of the essential items at her coffee and breakfast shop. She said she will also buy ice from the store if her business’ machine is not working.

Because the grocery store is closing, VanLeuven said she is working to purchase an ice machine to put outside her business, and she buys more milk and eggs than usual to store at her shop.

“I think it’s going to affect everyone in the community whether they only went there to get one thing or 20,” VanLeuven said.

The store has just about everything you need in a pinch — snacks, frozen foods, produce, toiletries, liquor, beer, wine and even cat food, greeting cards and motor oil.

Chelsea Wallace, a Genesee resident, said the store is the only place in town to buy over-the-counter medications to treat a fever, for example.

Kristin Hoshauer, an employee at Stomping Grounds Coffeehouse, said numerous high school students go to the food center at lunch and a great number of people go there during sporting events for chips and soda. A sign outside the store says it features homemade pizza, fried chicken and deli sandwiches.

Hoshauer said the store is a convenience and it is sad it is closing its doors.

“It’s going to be a huge impact for the older community,” she said.

Katie Schmidt, Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative commodities clerk, said some PNWFC workers at the processing plants east of town often grab lunch at the store and she and her colleagues at her office, which is located across the street from the store, will purchase cookies and chips for meetings.

“From my point, it’s not going to hurt us, but it is really nice to have the convenience when you’re in a pinch to go grab something, so people will miss it,” Schmidt said.

Yvonne Watts, one of four employees at the store, said even Uniontown residents use the store because they do not have one in their town and several people, especially farmers during summer, buy ice from the store.

“It’s going to be a hardship on quite a few people, including myself,” Watts said. “I’m a single mom.”

City Councilor Cody Bailey, who has lived in Genesee the last 27 years aside from a stint at the University of Idaho, said the food center has been a huge staple in the community and he is sorry to see it go.

Bailey said it will greatly affect the community and will change the way residents shop.

Odenborg, 65, has lived his entire life in Genesee and remembers when there were two grocery stores in town. He hopes someone will fill the grocery store void.

“No one wants to see it closed,” Odenborg said.

He said city officials are trying to draw businesses into Genesee, so he hates to see one shut down.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.