As the long-term owners of the Elmore Store considered retirement, the need to address major repairs could have forced this 80-year-old beloved institution to permanently close its doors. Instead, a new nonprofit group has formed to take on the challenge, and $100,000 grant will help address the outstanding issues. “Our town is small, and even for folks who do not regularly get their mail or their daily breakfast sandwich there, the Elmore store serves as a town center, meeting place, and general town heartbeat,” says Silene DeCiucies, board member of the Elmore Community Trust. “As we transition into a new ownership structure, the structural and septic issues that the store has had for years really need to be dealt with in order to move forward. Getting these repairs done ensures that the store can stay open throughout the transition, increases the capacity of the store’s facilities, and addresses imminent care that the building needs in order to stay up!”

Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Awarded: $100,000