Stan Voss attended the meeting of the Gerald Area Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday to report on the progress of the town’s shuttered grocery store. 

As Voss and his crew work diligently to set up the used equipment he purchased, supply issues have slowed their progress. Voss says he is now looking at an opening date of  sometime in May. He notes he would like to be ready to offer plants and garden items in time for the growing season. 

Chamber members were informed the store, which will be named Hometown Market, will include a deli, locally grown produce,  a large selection of meats, frozen foods, canned goods and bakery items. 

A meat counter, an idea Voss was once unsure of is back on the table of possibilities. He notes that after speaking to members of the community, he believes a butcher case may make financial sense. 

Voss also emphasized that a local grocery can only survive if it is supported by the community. Chamber members reported to Voss that they believed people would be very supportive, especially after feeling the loss of their local store for almost a year and a half. 

A meat cutter has already been hired and she has found a home in Gerald. A few other people have begun their employment with Hometown Market beginning their careers by getting the store ready to open.