Country Mart’s plan to reopen after weather-related structural issues this past weekend is delayed slightly, but Good’s Cash Saver owner Matt Good says the store will resume serving the public this week.
Country Mart closed Saturday after concerns were noted following 8-plus inches of snowfall and up to 0.50 inches of ice over the prior week. Good, who owns both Emporia’s Country Mart and Cash Saver locations, says a support pole near the checkstand entrance “flexed,” triggering both the shutdown and a call to Evergreen Design/Build for an engineering survey, which took place Monday.
Good says the pole “flex” may well have happened because the snow and ice load was not evenly distributed. North winds, occasionally as high as 50 mph Jan. 4-5, shoved the bulk of the snow and ice behind the storefront sign, possibly collecting to a depth of 2 feet or more above the front of the store while snow and ice depth on the building’s north side may have been less than 3 inches.
Good says a new support pole will be installed Tuesday, with an adjusted plan of opening Wednesday if not sooner. There is also a tentative long-term plan for additional work in about a month. Details on the long-term plan are under development.
Cash Saver has been serving residents while Country Mart has been temporarily closed.
