ASHFIELD — Elmer’s Store is going up for auction, and a steering committee dedicated to its revitalization held a virtual meeting Wednesday night to share what survey respondents want to see done with the beloved town fixture.

Steering committee members Ariel Brooks and April West handled much of the meeting, explaining the vision for the building at 396 Main St. and relaying the desires indicated through 350 surveys. The committee had planned an in-person gathering for Ashfield Community Hall, but it was switched to virtual-only due to an increased number of local COVID-19 cases. After the presentation, the meeting’s roughly 50 participants were divided into five virtual breakout rooms to further discuss their hopes for Elmer’s.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents reported a living wage for employees and support for local agriculture as the best ethics a community-owned Elmer’s, operating as a restaurant/cafe, could have. According to West, 18.7% of survey respondents reported that a convenient location and the availability of organic and locally sourced food are the most important factors to them when choosing a restaurant. Dining atmosphere, hours of operation and cost are also crucial factors, the survey indicated.

Steering committee member Elizabeth Gray said survey responses came from “all over the hills” and elsewhere, indicating a far-reaching radius of people who “see the value that Elmer’s can have.” Fellow member Robert Lizotte echoed this sentiment. Sixty percent of responses were from Ashfield. Most others came from Buckland, Conway, Plainfield and Shelburne Falls, though some respondents were from as far away as Somerville, Cape Cod and Tucson, Arizona.

Survey respondents also indicated they would be most likely to visit Elmer’s on Friday afternoons and on weekends. Twenty-seven percent said they would visit once per week and 25.5% reported they would stop by two to three times a week. Twenty-five percent indicated they would visit two to three times per month.

Brooks also mentioned alcohol was not a common request indicated by survey respondents, but the group plans to apply for a liquor license.

Committee members had planned to buy Elmer’s Store from its owners and turn it into a community-oriented cooperative space, but then the building faced foreclosure. The auction, originally slated for earlier this month, will be handled by Aaron Posnik & Co. According to Corey Fisher, vice president of the West Springfield-based company, the auction was postponed because Greenfield Savings Bank, the holder of the mortgage, was hoping to work out a deal with the owners of Elmer’s Store. The winning bidder must pay a $15,000 deposit and close the sale within 30 days.

At Wednesday’s virtual meeting, Brooks said the group of residents aims to give the spot the feel of the Franklin Community Coop’s Green Fields Market in Greenfield or McCusker’s Market in Shelburne Falls. She said the building at 396 Main St. has been appraised at $265,000 and there is a $500,000 public fundraising goal. She noted the establishment operating as a nonprofit would mean no individual stands to lose if it should the business have to temporarily close.

Steering committee member Dave Russo, who said he began frequenting Elmer’s Store even before he moved to Ashfield, mentioned the building also has the potential to serve as a type of outlet store for local farms.

Elmer’s Store has been in Ashfield since 1835. According to its website, Nan Parati, a member of the steering committee, moved to Ashfield in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her New Orleans home and ran the business until 2018, when she sold it to husband and wife Florencia Ferrari Haines and Andreas Auer. The couple ran the business under the limited liability company Ashfield Holdings.

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting, Parati said she is thrilled about the plans for the building and she looks forward to “good pancakes and good everything else.” Attendee Jane Willis commented she would love to see the establishment sell healthy food and local coffee, and also host children’s activities.

Eighty-one percent of survey respondents indicated they would at least consider becoming member-owners. According to the results, 109 respondents signed up to serve as volunteers to assist with fundraising, building cleanup and rehabilitation.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or
413-930-4120.

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