Sandy Grunzweig, co-owner of the Marilla Country Store, easily shares the 175-year history of the store, still nestled on the southeast corner of Bullis and Two Rod Roads. As the conversation reflects on the store's remarkable growth and success, the dialogue also touches upon the modern condition.
“While it’s easy to shop online, it’s also a very solitary pursuit,” Grunzweig said.
“Unfortunately, the retail landscape is really declining. It’s very sad. Lot of community and a lot of options are gone.”
On a Thursday afternoon in July, the store is crowded. Closer to Christmas, it’s packed daily. A significant share of their business, Grunzweig shared, comes in November and December. They’ve welcomed visitors from around the country, and as far away as New Zealand and Australia. One memorable customer came from New Jersey with great intent.
“She came across us on Facebook and was following us. She said I drove from New Jersey. I said, are you headed into East Aurora? She said, no, I just came to see you guys.”
Grunzweig leads the way to a special section on the second-floor room, a museum dedicated to 175 years of rural commerce. The store began as a trading post for town residents contending with 19th century America, she said, while pointing to a ledger that recorded trades and purchases of essentials, flour, eggs, milk.
” You had horse-and-buggy pulling up. On a busy Saturday they would have, at times, 18 clerks working just to service the amount of settlers and farmers.”
The store has undergone commercial evolution. Grunzweig says Mildred Monchow, a widow, ran the place for nearly four decades until retirement. Sandy’s parents purchased it before she and husband Paul became owners around the turn of the century amidst a changing word of retail world.
“We realized every corner now has convenient stores,” she pointed out.
“We couldn’t stick with the mix that we had. It wasn’t fitting into peoples’ lifestyles, the corner store to stop for cigarettes and stuff.”
Shelves of cigarettes and beer disappeared, replaced by specialty items: gifts for the holidays, a wall full of novel mechanical clocks, basic groceries, bulk foods, more spices than I knew existed. She speaks of counting each of the more than 500 varieties of candies sold in the store.
“We just continued to refine that mix so that we really are a destination,” Grunzweig said.
“They just wander for a couple hours and find things they didn’t even know they need.”
