Copake General Store doing well

Special to The Millerton NewsCOPAKE — In the nine months since the grand reopening of the Copake General Store under the ownership of Ruth and Chris Thomas, the business has been doing well enough, according to Ruth Thomas, to “hold its own” in the current economy.“The idea when we opened was to give the business that old-fashioned nostalgic mom and pop general store feel,” she said. “Business has been great, but slowed down since early November, and we expect it to pick right back up in April. Nearly 80 percent of our market is second-home owners.“My husband, Chris, has 21 years of experience between the convenience store and oil business and currently works as a regional manager for Sunoco,” Thomas added. “I hold a teaching degree from SUNY New Paltz and have worked as a pre-school director for a summer camp.”According to Thomas, Copake has had a general store at this location for 200 years, and was closed for five and a half years before the couple’s Memorial Day 2012 opening. “In the 1980s, Copake was a thriving town with two grocery stores, three restaurants, two bars and five camps that were very active in the summer months,” Thomas said. In the early 2000s, the owner at the time was diagnosed with cancer and Chris was asked to take over the business, but was unable to do so at the time. With many other businesses going through tough times economically and closing their doors, Copake was becoming a “ghost town,” according to Thomas.The point was driven home when the Copake Pharmacy, a business that had been open for generations and at one time included a gas station and ice-cream stand, closed down at the same time the General Store reopened. “Since we have opened we have had more than 120 people come in to apply for a job,” Thomas said.The store features a well-stocked grocery section that includes many staples, from flour and sugar to cleaning supplies. Additionally there’s a deli and bakery, with goods made on site from scratch.The store also spotlights a number of local products, including locally-produced yogurt, ice cream and milk, as well as local produce during the summer and fall months. Additionally, the store sells a number of gluten free products.One of the lesser known features of the business is that it caters events from family reunions to backyard barbecues, even weddings. “We want to work with the customer when it comes to the catering in order to meet their needs and expectations,” Thomas said.The store also features a small Copake clothing, gift and memorabilia section. During the warmer months there is outdoor seating as well as a bike rack.Currently the Copake General Store is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hours are extended during the warmer summer months. For more information call 518-329-4886.