Claremont Enquirer

Claremont General Store 

Built in 1847, Claremont General Store is believed to be one of the oldest continually operating stores in Ontario.

 

Every time a resident walks through the door, they are sure to be greeted on a first-name basis. Owner Daniel Park is a prominent figure in town and is known for writing down the names and remembering the many faces of his customers, as well as dropping an extra candy or two into kids’ candy bags.

 

Mr. Park and his wife Julie Sung moved from South Korea to Toronto in 2000. He has two children, a son who is 23, and a daughter, 21, studying nursing at Queens University. Mr. Park previously owned a flower shop downtown Toronto. After some financial difficulty, the family moved to the small community of Claremont in December 2002 and took ownership of the 168-year-old store.

“The city and the country are different. In the city, it’s harder to make friends and customers, it’s harder to get to know someone. But here, there is a real sense of community.”

 

Mr. Park is often involved with many community events including Claremont’s annual winter carnival that marks a week’s worth of events in January or February. The most popular of these events include a winter parade through the town, a teen dance at the local community centre, and the highly anticipated Trapper’s Ball. And with a population of less than 2,000 people, it’s no surprise that Mr. Park knows everyone.

 

“You are greeted by your first name every time you walk in the store,” says customer Susan Britton. “I love the people, you end up chatting half the time,” she laughs.

Ms. Britton’s husband was born and raised in Claremont and she has lived in the town with her family for 15 years. She stops into the General Store once or twice a week, but her kids are in on a daily basis. “Our kids are here all the time,” she laughs. “Sometimes it’s such a little thing you need and you can just zip here and grab it.”

 

Mr. Park says he will forever be indebted to his cherished town for helping him during a dark time. It was a Sunday morning in the middle of July 2009 when his life took a turn for the worse.

Derek Budarick, a tenant living in an apartment located in the building adjoining the store, was sitting outside with friends and noticed flames in the area where the store and the Canada Post outlet joined.

 

Firefighters were called to the scene and fought the blaze for more than three hours. Fortunately, no one was injured and though some walls remained standing, both the store and apartment building were destroyed. In the words of American psychiatrist and best-selling author Morgan Scott Peck, “There can be no vulnerability without risk. There can be no community without vulnerability. And there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community.”

 

Mr. Park took a risk by opening a General Store in a small town and became deeply vulnerable after the blaze damaged his hard work and pride. But what Mr. Park soon realized was that generosity goes a long way and community pulls together.

 

A nearby store owner offered Mr. Park the use of an unoccupied garage as a temporary store location, on the southeast side of Central Street and Old Brock Road. The community pitched in to help spruce up the space and get a building permit. For the next three years, customers would show up to share their support by stopping in for everything from cigarettes and newspapers to stamps and snacks, or even just to chat. “The community helped us when we were going through some difficulty, and that’s because of a small community,” says Mr. Park.

 

In January 2012, Mr. Park opened the doors of his new store, designed as a replica of the original, which had stood on the site for more than 150 years. Mr. Park hoped to repay the community’s kindness and introduced improved services in response to residents’ requests, including Country Style coffee and Square Boy Pizza. The Canada Post outlet was also reopened.

Most recently, Mr. Park surveyed his customers again. He is planning to introduce new baked goods and perhaps a dry cleaning service in the near future. “My favourite part about this job is helping people. I want to give them what they want.”

 

Pizza has been put on hold for the time being. After many years of lifting heavy pop crates and serving pizza, Mr. Park suffered a rotator cuff tear in June 2014. He had surgery in November, but despite the pain and challenge of working with an arm in sling, Mr. Park returned to work. “I’m aging,” he laughs. “It’s challenging with the sling, but I’m getting used to it. During the first five days I couldn’t walk so my wife worked.” Mr. Park says he hasn’t made the decision to start up pizza again. “Some people have asked for it but when I was young it was good, but it’s getting harder.”

 

For now, Mr. Park will carry on with his regular routine. Every morning he picks up the papers, puts on a hot pot of coffee, changes the bakery display and manages the till, greeting the many faces of Claremont.

The Loupe Magazine