New Beginnings at South Strafford’s Historic General Store
June 28, 2025
A beloved general store in South Strafford is starting a new chapter. Coburns’ General Store is changing ownership and being renamed the Strafford General Store.
“The signs will be swapped out on Sunday afternoon,” says Adam Smith, the new operator of the Strafford General Store. He’s leasing the building from the Strafford Community Trust.
Last spring, the non-profit trust raised over $1.5 million, the amount needed to purchase and establish a building fund for Coburns’ General Store, which has been owned and operated by the Coburn family since 1977.
Melvin Coburn and his wife, Sue, listed the general store for sale over two years ago, but no buyer had come forward. That’s when residents established the trust to raise money to purchase the store.
-An aerial photo of South Strafford from 2013 showing the general store. Adam Smith, right, is the store’s new operator.(Facebook/courtesy photo).
A Local Hub
Community trusts are a model used to save general stores in Vermont, including The Elmore Store, Castleton Village Store and Barnard General Store.
In Strafford, the general store has been around since the 1880s. It sells groceries, fresh meats, gas, doorknobs, boxed wine, cans of beer, and even hometown celebrity Noah Kahan T-shirts. The store also serves as a laundromat, bank and post office.
Smith, who lives in Tunbridge with his wife, Meg, and their two children, was approached by the trust about taking the reins. He worked at the South Royalton Market for 19 years, spending 10 of those years as general manager.
“I have always been drawn to smaller stores that offer unique local products,” Smith says. Other stores that have influenced Smith’s approach include the Upper Valley Food Coop in White River Junction and the Reliable Market in Oak Bluffs, Mass.
Smith’s career in food began while working on a farm in Maryland during college. He moved to Vermont and apprenticed at Luna Bleu Farm in South Royalton, and was later hired as a produce manager at the South Royalton Market before eventually becoming general manager.
“Now I’m ready for my own store. There is more risk involved but also more freedom,” he says.
-The iconic Strafford Meeting House, located up the road from the newly renamed Strafford General Store.
A Dream Job for the Right Person
Running a general store in a small town may sound like a dream job, but it’s not easy.
In February, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ website featured an interview with Melvin Coburn about running a Vermont general store.
Here’s what Coburn had to say:
“I’m a people-person. I love talking to people. I’m not what you call an extrovert by any means, but I do enjoy talking to people. People who have interviewed me before want to know what advice I’d have for the new owner. To me, you’ve got to love what you do and if you’re a people-person, enjoy working with the public, dealing with the public, that’s two of the biggest things you can have working in a general store.”
Still, for the right proprietor, it’s deeply rewarding.
“You are responsible for anything that happens, seven days a week,” Smith says. “The connection with the customers and being such a crucial part of the community is what keeps you going.”
Customers will not see many changes over the next few months, Smith says. He plans to work with local farms to expand the variety of produce available in the store.
During Strafford’s annual Independence Day parade and celebration later this week, the Strafford General Store will be open as usual. The Coburns won’t be behind the counter, but you can probably spot them marching in the parade.
“If you come to the parade, you might see the Coburn family leading the pack,” Smith says. “They have done an amazing job establishing a loyal following in the area, and I hope to keep that going.”
The Strafford General Store is located at 216 VT-132 in South Strafford.
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