PUTNEY — After 3½ years, two fires, and many challenges, the Putney Historical Society is celebrating the reopening of the Putney General Store on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Ming Chou, an experienced operator, has signed a 20-year lease to operate a full-service grocery store and butcher shop.
Chou also plans to offer a full range of prepared foods and a seating area with options for indoor or outdoor dining.
Events and activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. through the evening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store at 2 p.m.
There will be open houses at Putney General Store (4 Kimball Hill) and at the the former church and new home of Next Stage, at 15 Kimball Hill.
Free refreshments will be available, courtesy of the Putney General Store, the Putney School, and others, along with prizes and entertainment.
Folks who come down before 1 p.m. Saturday to either open house can pick up a raffle ticket to win gift certificates from the Putney General Store, Hickory Ridge House, Peekabootique, Offerings, The Front Porch Café, Morning Glorious Vintage, and Swirl.
A Putney Historical Society display downstairs at 15 Kimball Hill will feature the Fairchild Collection of old photos. Upstairs, Next Stage Arts will offer free popcorn with holiday and classic cartoons on the big screen.
Live music will be offered throughout the day by Mike Mrowicki, Amelia Struthers, Leon Cooper, Amy Cann's Fiddle Group, and Liz Rogers, as well as dancing by the Windham Morris group.
Later in the evening, Twilight Music will present the Sweetback Sisters Country Christmas Sing Along at Next Stage at 7:30 p.m.
In May 2008, a fire severely damaged the General Store. The community rallied, and the Putney Historical Society voted unanimously to rebuild the store.
Then, just as final rehabilitation work was ready to begin, on a night in November, 2009, an arsonist set the building ablaze and within minutes it was totally destroyed.
The new building was designed by Maclay Architects of Waitsfield and constructed by Ingram Construction Corp. of West Swanzey, N.H., with a timber frame handcrafted and donated by Cross Creek Farm using donated Putney trees.
The custom front doors were handcrafted by Putney woodworker Abijah Reed, the new store signs were handmade by artist Will Parmelee, and the new counter was handmade by local furniture maker Steve Kenzer.