UPDATE, THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Well, my goodness. This afternoon, the Outpost received a call from Petrolia store owner Denise Goforth, who told us that she has talked to the people in the community group in the past, but that she has not agreed to sell the store to them. Also, she said the store is not currently on the market, nor has it been, and neither is it struggling.

So it sounds like the group’s dreams of taking over the store are at least a little bit more pie-in-the-sky than what was presented below. We should have more on this soon, but in the meantime: We regret the errors.

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ORIGINAL STORY:

After nearly 160 years of serving the Mattole Valley, the Petrolia General Store may be entering a new era as the Sugarloaf General Store, a community-run cooperative named for the iconic rock formation located just off Cape Mendocino. 

Over the coming months, the newly appointed board of directors plans to expand the store’s grocery offerings to include more locally produced items and other products that aren’t readily available in the far reaches of the Mattole Valley, which is about 35 miles from the nearest chain grocery store. Eventually, the board hopes to set up a small café with an espresso bar, soft-serve ice cream, homemade baked goods and ready-to-eat lunch items to draw in tourists passing through town and provide a “third place” for residents. 

The board is launching a donation campaign to bring their vision to life. 

“We’re really looking to emphasize the store as a place for community,” board member Joshua Lyon told the Outpost. “The store is the only commercial entity we have in town, and there is so much potential there for our community. We envision this store as being a place that encourages people to come and hang out from all over Humboldt County. We’re also hoping to make it a destination for hikers and campers passing through on their way to the Lost Coast.”

The history of the Petrolia General Store dates way back to the 1860s, when white settlers made their way to the remote Mattole Valley in pursuit of oil and vast expanses of land for homesteading. Back then, it was known as the John Rudolph Store, which was torn down in the 1940s and replaced by the Hart & Johnson building, and renamed Petrolia Cash Grocery. The H&J building burned down in April 1992 after three major earthquakes rocked Cape Mendocino, damaging more than 1,100 buildings across the county. 

Petrolia resident Denise Goforth bought the general store after it was rebuilt 30 years ago, but now she’s looking to retire and enjoy some time with her grandkids. Goforth put the store on the market about a decade ago, but she’s had a difficult time finding a buyer.

“Denise is 73 now, and she just doesn’t want the responsibility. … It’s been tough to find somebody who has the energy and the money to purchase it, especially with the change in the industry out here,” Lyon said, referring to the once-thriving cannabis industry. “This is the only commercial entity we have in town.”

In the video linked below, Petrolia residents describe the store as the “beating heart of the community.” And if you’ve ever been — especially if you’ve had a turkey sandwich made by the loving hands of a woman who reminds you of your own grandmother —  you know exactly what they’re talking about. 

“This place kinda holds everything together,” said one resident. “You can come down and see friends always.”

Worried that the store would close without a prospective buyer, community members started looking at other options. The idea to form a member-owned co-op burbled up during community conversations last November, and a core group was formed to get the ball rolling. 

“We started off with, I think, seven steering committee members that were just people in our community who were willing to give up their personal time and skill sets,” said board member Amber Dawn Pickett. “We all have different backgrounds, and it’s just been fantastic to bring together all this talent. It’s been no small effort … to get everybody on the same page in understanding the vision, but it actually feels like it’s possible.”

The articles of incorporation were finalized earlier this month, allowing the co-op to form an official board, establish bylaws and accept donations. The board is still working out a tiered system for its shareholders, Lyon said, but those who purchase a membership will get an annual refund based on their patronage.

“We’re still pretty early on in the process,” Lyon continued. “We have over $50,000 in pledges from our community, and we’re working on a donation campaign to help provide a larger portion of the working capital that we need in order to begin operations or potentially get a business loan.”

The board is hoping to make the official transition to the Sugarloaf General Store this summer. Even though the name and the structure of the organization are changing, Lyon and Pickett offered reassurance that the little store will keep its small-town charm.

“This is a renaissance of this institution,” Lyon said. “The store has so much potential.”

Check out the video below to learn more about the donation campaign. Want to support the cause? You can find the store’s website at this link.

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