After 150 years in business the Ashton General Store is facing an uncertain future. The community hub in a heritage building is slated to close at the end of the month.
"We don't know what we are going to do in two weeks," said nearby resident Don Arthur.
"It's home. It really is like a second home," Arthur added.
Since the mid 1800s residents from neighbouring towns and farms have been flocking to the Ashton General Store in Ashton, ON, for groceries, mail, supplies and chats with old friends.
"It's the people and the atmosphere. It's like Cheers, you know," said Irena Uplaznik.
"You're like family and everybody accepts you. It's been great."
Jean Pignal and his wife, Sylvie, took over the store in 2011 on a five year lease. In January they were informed by the building's owner that the lease would not be renewed and that the store would be forced to close on April 22nd. The landlord, who manages her brother's estate, took over the building when longtime owner Bill Patterson died last year.
"We were making a struggle out of it. We were making a go out of it," said Jean Pignal. "I think triple the business was something anyway. We accomplished something. We made it a community gathering place, so that's an accomplishment."
Residents gathered at the store on Saturday to say thank you and goodbye to a place centered around conversation and community. The store is a grocery store, post office and a coffee shop but more than that residents said it is a pillar of the community that will be dearly missed.
