The Valley Gro was originally built in 1912 as a garage, later called the Adirondack Garage until 1921 when the town of Keene used it to store highway equipment and as a “fix-it” shop. In 1946, Irving “Nip” DeZalia and Almeda Senegal purchased the building, turning it into a market locally known as “The Boy’s Store.” Nip and his wife Eleanor added a lunch counter at one end and operated it as an IGA market until they sold it to the Halls.

Richard and Joan Hall purchased the business in 1969, renaming it the Valley Grocery. Richard Hall served as the Keene Valley fire chief for 27 years and helped organize the ambulance squad. Indeed, his entire extended family in one way or another has been connected with the department. Several also have served or are serving as fire chief.

Carol and her brother Ron Hall, the current assistant fire chief, grew up in the business. According to Carol’s husband, Bruce Reed, Carol helped open and close the store since she was 10 years old. She and Bruce took over the business when Richard died in 2014.

Believed to have been started by an electrical source in the back, the fire soon consumed the building on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Called in by neighbor Peg Wilson, eight fire departments, including Keene and Keene Valley, responded to what became a challenging five-hour fight. News of the fire rocked the 1,000-member community as the Hall family and the business itself were deeply connected to the town. People described the loss as a “death in the family.”

For Peggy LaRose, who worked at the store for 45 years, the loss was especially hard. “I love the family, the community feeling. Everything was personal,” she said at the time. “I loved working there. It wasn’t really a job. I first worked for Nip and Eleanor DeZalia, for two years and then Dick and Joan bought it in 1969. Then I started working for them. Hearing about the fire took my breath away.”

Further adding to the anguish was the impact the fire had on the local first responders, some of whom had grown up or worked in the store, and all of whom have shopped there.

“It was like I lost my dad again,” said Ron Hall at the time. “This store was his pride and joy. It was his life and his legacy.”

Through the Adirondack Foundation, a fund was established to help with the transition, raising more than $130,000 toward such expenses as assisting Valley Gro employees without work; supporting a shuttle that enabled people to get their groceries from Elizabethtown, Lake Placid and Plattsburgh; offsetting some rebuilding costs; and providing support for the two local fire departments.

On Feb. 12, all that heartache was set aside. First in line was Barbara Strowger, who marveled on the new bright facility and stocked shelves.

“I’m excited,” said Strowger. “This has been a long time coming. We’ve really, really missed our Valley Gro. I don’t know what I’m going to purchase, but I plan to fill my bag.”

“I have so missed this store,” said Donna Reed Austin. “There’s always one item I need, and I haven’t been able to go to the Valley Gro to get it, but now I can. The store looks beautiful.”

“I can hardly stand it,” said Martha LeClair. “I’m so excited. It’s been such a long time. I’m so happy for Carol, for all of them.”

First in line to purchase food was Larry House, who picked everything he needed for breakfast: Thomas English Muffins, oatmeal, orange juice, coffee, butter and eggs. Not far behind was Larry Shipps, who purchased a slab of bacon, a favorite of local breakfast aficionados as is Bruce Reed’s sausage.

“It’s wonderful to have Valley Gro open again,” said Larry. “Just wonderful. It’s been a long 11 months.”

“The Valley Gro is a gathering place,” said Suzie Allen. “It’s such a celebration. It’s delightful to see so many people here. It also means we don’t have to drive so far to get groceries. I think about the kids coming in during the summer. I love that they can come over here on their own and get candy or whatever they get.”

The kids didn’t wait until summer. Laura Johnson, a senior at Keene Central School, painted a mountain mural on one of the walls, and at 8:30 a.m., teacher Erin Perkins brought her class to present Carol with a card signed by everyone at school.

“The entire school community has been anxiously waiting for the reopening of the Valley Gro,” said Perkins. “Since they all couldn’t come at once, the kindergarteners decided to be the ambassadors for the school.”

Diana House, who has worked in the store since she was little, shared the challenges of reopening the store, the many new features, and the unexpected challenges they faced.

“You can just feel the emotions,” said House, pointing to her heart. “The tears today are so joyful. There were more things to do than you can possibly imagine. You do something, and it opens the door to five more things you haven’t even thought about. And for all the horror stories you hear about insurance companies, that they drag their feet, they did not. That’s one huge factor why we are open today.”

“I am just so proud of my mom,” said Sunny Reed, Carol’s daughter. “To see her go through a very devastating time, pick herself up, and build something is so amazing. She loves this community so much. I couldn’t be prouder of her and everything she’s accomplished. Losing the store was very emotional. It was like a death in the family. This store is part of her. Reopening the store has been very emotional as well, but it’s great.”

“The Valley Gro is the heart of the community,” said Pete Nelson. “The thing that makes Keene so valuable is that it’s a place that has wonders in, out and everywhere, and it’s still a place that you can call home. The Valley Grocery is a key part of what it is to live here. It’s a place where you can pick up something to eat, a basic necessity of life, from people who are lovey and wonderful. We missed it and are glad it’s back. I’m cooking dinner tonight for the first time in 11 months with food purchased here.”

“I love being back at work,” said butcher Kelly Hall. “I am absolutely content. Carol did a great job, as did Ronnie. The store is beautiful.”

“It’s good,” said Carol. “It feels good. It was a long time coming. We’re good. We’ve got a long way to go, but it’s a start.”