Echoes of the Past: Retail with a History

Erected in the 1800s, the Sagaponack General Store has served as a symbol of the village’s strong sense of community. The establishment, once used for postal services and farming supplies, has been renovated by proprietor Mindy Gray, who has promised to preserve its charm. “An article about the sale of the building was published during the pandemic when we all were isolated and craving community,” Gray recalls. “I began to imagine what would happen to the village of Sagaponack if this was no longer a general store. Suddenly, the pulsing center would be gone and it would be just a collection of homes. My family encouraged me to dive in to preserve it.” It’s no secret when something is a hit, and Gray’s Sagaponack General Store revival certainly is. Nowadays, she and her team serve the community preprepared food, coffee, pastries, candy, and other market goods. “I’ve been positively overwhelmed by the reaction of the community,” she says. “People walk in and smile and express how grateful they are to have a place that allows them to come together as neighbors and friends. I’ve loved hearing the stories from customers about memories they’ve had at the store, from working there in the 1980s—when Mary Hildreth, who ran the store with her husband, Merrall—was making her famous chicken pot pie to when it used to have a gas pump outside.”