Robinson's General Store in Dorset to reopen under new ownership
The future of Robinson's General Store will continue with new owners preparing to reopen the iconic shop after it suddenly closed in January.
The Dorset store opened in 1921 and had become a fixture in the community, with cottagers and locals reliant on its supplies.
New owner Venkata Kommina plans to reopen the general store and get it completely stocked with all the necessities as summer approaches.
"They can't drive every time to Huntsville and Bracebridge to get groceries and needs, so they have to shop here. I know it's a 100-year thing, so everyone knows the store as well," he said.
Kommina added they would need to hire 30 to 60 people to once again get the general store fully functional.
In 2021, the Robinson family sold the general store, which acted as a one-stop shop for clothes, groceries and hardware in cottage country to Mike and Katie Hinbest.
Then in January, the Hinbest's were forced to close its doors, to the disappointment of locals.
"It's killed downtown Dorset. There's hardly any traffic. The other businesses have suffered dramatically," said Brad Robinson, former owner of Robinson's General Store.
Robinson knew he had to buy the store back until he could find new owners who recognized the need in the community.
Kommina hopes to reopen on Friday with essentials like bread and milk until he can fully stock the shelves.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.