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PARK TWP. — Hollanders said goodbye to the original Ottawa Beach General Store on Labor Day, which served as the business’ last day in its current building.
The structure has stood for 85 years, serving residents and tourists alike. It will be demolished and rebuilt, in much the same footprint. It’s a move that’s been in the works for months, with project documents presented to Park Township in December.
More: Ownership plans to demolish, rebuild historic Ottawa Beach General Store
At the time, representatives said the building’s owners have rehabilitated over the years, but foundational issues meant the building had reached the end of its useful life.
For many, the store at 2256 Ottawa Beach Road brings back fond memories of Holland State Park and annual visits.
The new building will resemble the old building — with the same paint color and roofline — but meet modern codes and business needs, including a 10-foot extension near the ice cream serving window.
The store has been managed by Linda Dykert since 2010, when VW Ventures bought the business out of foreclosure. From her perspective, the last season at the original store was a success.
“It was a very good year,” she said. “In comparison to other years, it was probably a little bit better. We’ve had a lot of good years, but this year was great.”
Dykert said, throughout the summer, the store saw a boost in sales because it was the last year in the old building — many said they wanted one more ice cream cone or one more sweatshirt before demolition.
The store might be closed to the public, but there’s much for Dykert and her staff to complete before the building is torn down. She thinks, at that point, the magnitude of the project will hit her.
“I think watching it go down will be a tough thing,” Dykert said. “I think it will be a very emotional experience. However, I’m really getting excited for the new building. As we move out of this building and take things out, I see how tired the building is. The plans look great and I think we’re going to be able to serve customers much more effectively in the new building.”
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“We just want to say thank you so much for your business,” Dykert added. “We appreciate your business and we appreciate the interest in the store. We appreciate all the questions that were asked and all the heartfelt emotion that we hear.”
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
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