Minor's Country Store Celebrates Customer Appreciation Day

Minor’s Country Store Celebrates Customer Appreciation Day

On April 1st 1977, young Jeff Minor was a High School Senior at BFA here in Fairfax. His parents, Lee and Louise Minor purchased the present Minor’s Country Store from Larry & Barbara Doe. The Doe’s had purchased the store the previous August from Victor Mistov who had purchased it from Bernard Fisher who had purchased it from the original owner Dewell Decker who built both the Store and House next door in 1963.

A 1982 photo shown above shows the store as it looked prior to the addition of a self service island for gas and a different main entrance.

When I stopped by about 10:30 this morning, Lee Minor, dressed for the weather, which was just a bit on the cool side, was busy cooking hot dogs which customers could buy with the works for 25 cents.

Three generations of the Minor Family presently work in the store. Stephanette Potvin, Louise’s mother who is 90 decided to retire last year. Shown from left to right are Aaron Minor, his grandparents, Louise & Lee Minor and his uncle Jeff Minor. Jeff can probably be considered the only full time employee who has been with the store since it opened, at least after school was out in 1977. Jeff, while still finishing his Senior Year at BFA would get up and open the store, then go to school, then after school work again from about 3:30 to 10 p.m. In those early years Minor’s Country Store had only about 2 or 3 other employees besides the immediate family members. Aaron’s title right now is Manager. In listening to Jeff tell me about the store and his commitment to customer service, I’m sure Aaron is getting some go thorough training. Jeff, Louise and Louise’s sister Annette Koch handle the bookkeeping, which is another area Aaron will be learning in the future. Lee passed me on to Jeff for information, but I strongly suspect over the years Lee has had some input in this very successful business venture.

Jeff takes a moment to pose with a long time store employee, Kim Heyer who has been working for the Minors for the past 22 years.

Laurie, another store employee poses with Louise Minor in front of the Ice Cream Cooler. You can still buy the old fashioned ice cream cones at Minors Country Store.

Business was brisk when I was there this morning as Kim Heyer, a younger employee and Aaron Minor, man the cash registers in this well stocked store.

Some of the numerous prizes are shown that will be drawn off later today.

A dirt bike is behind the chair along with more prizes.

Not sure just when the prizes will be raffled off, but don’t forget to sign up for them in order to win.

I didn’t make a list of all the prizes, but you can check them out if you go in the store.

Finally - Minor's Country Store as it appeared today around 1:15 p.m.