Putting the "Community" in the Community Store

January 28th update: The meeting originally scheduled for today is postponed until Feb. 13th.

The non-profit Ocracoke Foundation, Inc. recently purchased the Community Square, with the purpose of restoring and revitalizing the historic buildings and providing public access to the harbor. Read more here.

Improvements at the Square have already begun, but the one question on everyone’s mind is: Will the Community Store be a grocery store again?

The Foundation’s board members would love to see that happen and they’d like community input. Have opinions? Ideas? Come to a meeting on Thursday, February 13th at 5pm at the Community Store to share and get information. Specifically, the Foundation would like to know if there’s interest in the store being revived as a co-op.

“Not a 70’s version of a co-op!” the Foundation’s director, Robin Payne, said reassuringly. “There are different models out there today for co-ops and we’d like to look at all the ways to run it.”

From the beginning, the Foundation has intended to have the Community Store be a grocery store again, as it was at its establishment in 1918. In recent years, the store has been open off and on, last closing in March 2012. Since summer 2012, the building has been the home of the Ocracoke Homegrown, Handmade market, featuring arts, crafts, baked goods, and fresh produce made and grown by island residents.

After 3 trips to the dump and many locals coming to salvage anything useful, there was still this much old wood from under the Community Store.

The meeting Tuesday offers hope that the shelves will once again be stocked with food and sundries.

“We’re hoping that the co-op option could make it a real community store,” Robin said.

There will be a selection of groceries available as early as next week – La Isla is moving into the back of the store! Currently located at Spencer’s Market, La Isla is a small grocery store catering to Ocracoke’s Hispanic residents. Owner Karla Ortiz has decided to make the move to the Community Square, and the Foundation is fixing up the warehouse section of the Community Store for her to use. (Jenny’s writing an article about this, so stay tuned!)

Wander down to the Square and see the other improvements already underway. The Foundation hired Marco Garcia and his crew to clean under the buildings, clean out the attics, trim the trees, clear the overgrowth, haul stuff to the dump, and clean up the shoreline.

James Paul and Mark Justice are making small repairs to the buildings, power-washing the exteriors, fixing broken steps and walkways, touching up paint, and removing broken lattice work. 

This photo shows the attic of the Community Store. You can see where the outside wall used to be. Before the storeroom and loading dock were added, this outside wall faced the harbor and beckoned boaters to the store.

Some of the buildings will get window repairs and HVAC repairs and upgrades. Len Skinner is making historic marker plaques for all the buildings.

The porta-johns were removed from the harbor side of the property, and that area was cleared to open up more green space. 

“We’d like to see more public usage of the Square,” Robin Said. “We’re adding lots of picnic tables.”  

A new porta-john will be installed for the season – an extra large one with a hand-washing station that will be located behind the store on the Bluff Shoal side of the building. 

The Foundation is working on short-term repairs and cleaning to get things looking good for this season; they also have long-range restoration plans.

Look for information about another meeting during the 2nd week in February. This one will be to get public input about landscaping, history, and design decisions in the Community Square.

Trimming the trees and opening up the views to the water.

“We hope to establish a group to make decisions about the architectural future of each building,” Robin said. “We want input about landscaping with local plants.”

The Square will continue to be a gathering place for fun this year. The Ocrafolk Festival will have live music and a square dance in June, 4th of July events will take place in the Square, and the classic car show will make a comeback. Other events are welcome. Interested groups should contact Robin about their ideas. (Her email is info@ocracokefoundation.org)

The Foundation is also hoping to have all the retail spaces occupied this season. If you might be interested in leasing a storefront, let Robin know.  

And join in the conversation about the Community Store. We all have a stake in our historic spaces maintaining their authenticity and appeal. As Robin put it, “It’s not just a grocery store, it’s a tourism icon.”