Celebrating a milestone

Yoho General Store marks 10-year renovation anniversary and continues to grow to serve the Solsberry community

Come one, come all and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Yoho General Store restoration!

This December marks 10 years since CFC Properties reopened the Yoho General Store after restoring it in 2012. To celebrate this, they will be hosting a 10-Year Renovation Milestone Kick-Off. Given the potential for better weather conditions, the store has chosen to host a Kick-Off Celebration on Saturday, July 23, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. The store will be open during their regular hours that day, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, with the kitchen closing at 7:30 pm.

In addition to the Yoho General Store’s traditional menu, event attendees can expect incredible ice cream specials, coney dogs, lemon shake-ups, and complimentary sweet treats. Aside from the family-friendly activities with prizes and festive decoration, guests who arrive early will receive giveaway prizes. Supply is limited. The store will also have commemorative t-shirts, koozies, mugs, and additional Yoho branded goods for sale.

About the store¹

The Cook family is passionate about preserving and restoring historical sites across Indiana, such as the Grant Street Inn, the Laconia General Store, and French Lick Resort, to name a few. Therefore, it was inevitable that they would be willing to take on a project such as the Yoho General Store when they came across it in 2012.

The Yoho General Store has been serving the Solsberry community for nearly 90 years, and it sure has a long and windy past. In fact, the current store is not even in the same building as the original. Before an unfortunate fire in 1933, the store was operated by the Yoho brothers Frank, Oscar, and William for 29 years. After the building was reconstructed in 1934, the store was reopened under the operation of Otis Sullivan in the building that is still being used today. For a short period of time between 1940 and 1944, the building was used for Rotha Sim’s Rainbow Store. It was then operated by Wayne Sherrow and Fred Cooksey for three years. In 1947, Dwight “Cotton” Yoho bought out Fred Cooksey, bringing the Yoho family name back to the store. The Sherrow-Yoho store operated for three years. In 1950, the store returned to the full ownership of a Yoho descendant when Dwight bought out Wayne Sherrow.

The store was operated by Dwight and his wife Pearl for the rest of their lives. Dwight passed away in 1999 and Pearl a year later. Together, they operated the store for nearly 50 years. The store was then operated by their youngest son Donnie until his passing in 2011. For the next year, their oldest son, Lavon, took over the store with the help of his family and the community. While Lavon attempted to keep the store running while having a dedicated full-time job and the help of family and friends, by July of 2012, he agreed to sell the store to CFC Properties. Lavon was aware of how CFC’s restoration projects had positively influenced other communities and believed they could make it happen in Solsberry as well.

Cook’s interest in the Yoho General Store began when Bill Cook traveled to Solsberry to attend the grand opening of his daughter-in-law Marcy Cook’s boutique, EllieMae’s, which has now also extended to Fountain Square in Bloomington. Shortly after Mr. Cook came across the store, CFC Properties, a Cook Group Company specializing in historic restoration and property management, bought the store with the intentions of restoring it. Renovations began in the summer of 2012.

“The Cook’s wanted us to buy and get the Yoho store going again, because it had always been a dynamic part of the community,” CFC Properties President Jim Murphy said. “We refurbished the store in a way that retained its history and friendly atmosphere.”

The Yoho General Store, before renovations began in 2012.

To do this, CFC Properties refinished and reinstalled many of the original fixtures in the store including the Hot Blast Florence Stove, the original plank flooring and shelving, and the exterior Liar’s Bench. Upon opening, the store’s interior was filled with t-shirts, hats, candles, candy, snacks, beverages, bread, milk, and even local gift items. Following the renovation, the store was equipped with a small deli area. If you’re not looking for the typical general store food offerings, you can also fill your craving with custom sandwiches, indulge in one of the many flavors of ice cream, or try the pie of the month.

Over the next few years, the menu grew with new food items, and the demand for them was high. Customers enjoyed oversized breaded tenderloins, crispy fish sandwiches, onion rings, golden french fries, and cheese curds. To keep up with demand, the Yoho General Store reduced its product shelves to expand the dining area. However, in 2021, they had to stop offering fried foods all together as the kitchen equipment could no longer keep up with the customer demand. CFC Properties explored many potential options that would allow the kitchen equipment to be replaced.

The return of the fryers

Paul Wagoner, CFC’s Director of Operations, took the role managing the store in mid-2021. Paul is a resident of Eastern Greene County, and prior to arriving at the store, Paul spent the past 18 years as the hospitality manager of the Grant Street Inn, a CFC property in downtown Bloomington.

“It was devastating the day we had to shut down the fryers; many of our fried food items are a staple,” Paul said. ” Finding a new fryer that would work with our existing space was a long, exhaustive process.”

According to Paul, there are many things to consider when dealing with a commercial kitchen, many of which had not been thought of before because the store was originally meant to offer a deli with a limited menu and ice cream. However, so many grew to love the food that the restaurant side took off.

“Cook Group’s engineer, Bill Thompson, worked tirelessly on finding the ideal solution that would work with our kitchen,” Paul continued. ” We are so pleased a solution was found, and the store can continue to offer so many menu items customers know and love.”

By mid-March, a new enclosed fryer, oven, and ventilation hood were installed. The new fryer made it possible for the store to provide its customers with their favorite fried foods. Not only can staff turn food items around in a timely manner, but more importantly, the new kitchen equipment protects the historic building by complying with the latest safety measures. The newest ventilation hood also offers customers a better dining experience as it can circulate the air faster.

Following the installation of the new enclosed fryer, customers raved with excitement. The big news was released on the Yoho General Store’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Although this may sound as good as it can get for a general store, it’s not. The Yoho General Store’s appeal can be found outside of the material things it has to offer. Whether it be the community members laughing as they reminisce over the old photos on the tables, share a meal together, or gather with holiday spirit to visit the Santa Train, this store has been a staple gathering place for the community.

Save the date

 The Yoho General Store will be celebrating its Official 10-Year Renovation Milestone on Saturday, December 3.

“Our goal for the July celebration is to kick-off the milestone year during the summer months when everyone can enjoy the fun festivities outside, as well as inside the old general store,” Paul said. “ I hope you, your family, and friends, come join us for both events this year!”

Additional event details will be released on the Yoho General Store Facebook page this fall. Those who wish to receive store updates regularly may “Follow” the store’s page on Facebook.

To learn more about the Yoho General Store, visit www.yohogeneralstore.com. Visit www.cfcproperties.com for more information on additional properties CFC has restored.

Source

1. https://www.yohogeneralstore.com/our-story/

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