5/5/25

Below is the email the trust sent to supporters on Saturday. Back in February it announced that it had raised $1.8 million from Straffordites and supporters to cover the costs of buying the store, making improvements to the structure, and supporting a new proprietor to keep it open.

It’s official: Strafford’s general store is passing to the next generation—and you made it happen!

Thanks to your generosity, the Strafford Community Trust is thrilled to announce that we will proceed to buy the store and building from the Coburns, and that we have reached agreement with a new proprietor, Adam Smith. The Trust will own the building and be responsible for its upkeep, and Adam will lease the store premises from us.

We plan to close on the sale in late June, and Adam will take over the business at that time.

Adam has extensive experience in running a general store and was the store manager for the South Royalton Coop for many years. He is excited to become part of the Strafford community and looks forward to meeting you in the store soon. We know the town will be eager to give Adam the warmest possible welcome, and as always, our hats are off to the remarkable Coburn family!