All Over Albany

The Olde Corner Store

Project: The Olde Corner Store, a small grocery specializing in bulk and natural foods, for Middleburgh.

Who: Joy Heckman

Short bio
Though I was born and raised in Corning, NY with myriad grocery stores, it was not until 2001 when I visited an Amish store one hour from my house that I suddenly realized my calling: a bulk food, general store. About six months later I opened "Feed My Sheep ... with Joy" in a small room (300 sq ft.) of my home. I was successful enough to dream of expansion.

With five years of success in my home, my husband, Roger, and I purchased the local corner store that Roger had been visiting since he was three years old. It took us almost a year before we opened The Olde Corner Store (600 sq ft.) in Sept. 2006. Again we were successful and continued to build customers and reputation.

While attending a 2012 farmer's market meeting it was brought to our attention that Schoharie County (600 sq. miles) has only two grocery stores, and they are located within one mile of each other in the extreme northwest corner of the county. It is not unusual for residents to have to drive 15 or more miles to reach a grocery store.

This was not always the case. In 2011, Hurricane Irene destroyed a third grocery store that had been located in Middleburgh. This store not only served the residents of Middleburgh and Schoharie, but also the population 10 miles south of Middleburgh. Since the flood this area has been designated a food desert.

A description of the proposed project
After surveying the residents, we discovered that there is still a need for a grocery store in the Middleburgh area. The survey results showed that the people desire a deli, bakery, fresh meat and produce department. The Olde Corner Store offers three of the four desired departments as well as a large bulk food section. We do not presently offer fresh meats but do carry a variety of frozen meats from a local farmer.

It is my desire to open a much larger bulk food store (2000 + sq ft.) in Middleburgh.

My baking has been quite successful. Besides selling my bread and baked goods from my location in Gallupville, I also provide bread for the Barber's Farm Stand in Middleburgh and have sold it at various farmers markets in Albany, Canajoharie, and Schoharie Fresh, an online farmer's market.

Our deli has a reputation of serving really good food from "the best breakfast sandwiches in New York State" (Dave Slater), to homemade soups, salads and desserts, and, of course, great sandwiches on my homemade bread.

The bulk foods department has drawn customers from as far away as Canada and California. We carry some unusual products at great prices. Although we already carry a wide variety of bulk foods, we would expand this area of our store as well to include more shelving dedicated to gluten-free, allergen-free products.

I look forward to serving a larger community with a greater number of quality products. . Produce and fresh meat departments can suffer from high waste costs. Using local farms that will be able to provide me with wholesale produce, offering us the freshest fruits and vegetables in smaller quantities will help reduce this expense. Fresh meats that are vacuumed sealed can stay fresh in the refrigerator case for two or three weeks. This would afford us the time necessary to sell the product and reduce loss.

We hope to remove the designation of "Food Desert" from Middleburgh by opening a small grocery, specializing in bulk and natural foods.

How would the grant money help?
$1500 is the lynchpin that will make our expansion project possible. Most of our working capital is tied up in the daily function our present location. We will use the $1500 for a lawyer to help negotiate a lease. Once a lease is signed we have a private investor ready to front us $5000 and the Village of Middleburgh will advance us a $10,000 zero interest loan. This $15,000 will be used for renovations for the kitchen and bakery. We will move our equipment and inventory (value $30,000) from our present location. We have already purchased all the shelving we will need to fill the new store.

I believe my business should receive this funding as it will have such a positive impact on the community it will serve. Thank you for considering my business venture.

In the Beginning....

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