A final dispatch from the LTCM

Four months ago I contacted the property owner of the defunct Jonesville Country Store in Richmond, with the hope of re-opening it as the Long Trail Community Market. It was intended as a small grocery operation, modeled in the image of the original store, but with a few updates to reflect the time. Despite the challenges, I was determined to open the store. Any obstacles seemed to melt into sweet rewards of experience or success. Recently, I spent some time with friends and co-workers who also grew up in the neighborhood. We sat on the old picnic table and reflected on how special it was that we were blessed with the opportunity to re-imagine the store of our childhood as our gift to the community.

Near a week from opening, it has become quite clear that the road before us is fretted with tumult, and it is with great personal sadness that I formally announce my decision to cease development on the Long Trail Community Market. Our neighbor, who many of you know by reputation, has made it his personal goal to see that our operation does not sustain. He has put as much of the past four months into hampering our progress, as we have in trying to realize our dream. His deliberate actions have taken a financial and emotional toll, forcing us to accept the reality that we cannot sustain under such conditions. It is impossibly hard to leave, knowing that a promise remains unfulfilled to my community of family and friends who shared my hopes and dreams for the store.