Heron store offers grocery, deli and more

A new general store has opened in Heron offering people everyday staple items and a sense of community. Owners Melissa and Shawn Atkinson opened Heron Siding General Store in September with the hopes of giving community members a place to gather, eat and shop.

"I was the postmaster for four years prior to this," Melissa said. "I've been serving this community for the last four years and I love it here. It was a no brainer to take this on. The town needs this so much."

Alongside household items, the general store also has a grocery section with a small selection of fresh produce and a variety of frozen meat and pork from Wood's Meats out of Sandpoint, Idaho. The general store also offers breakfast items, sandwiches, soup and ice cream, which Melissa says has been a customer favorite since opening.

Another customer favorite from the breakfast menu is an idea Melissa was inspired about after a trip to Virginia. "We call it the hobo bowl," she said. "It's everything all in one. It starts with potatoes at the bottom, then we add an egg and cheese. Then we sprinkle on some bacon chunks and sausage, then everything is topped with a biscuit and sausage gravy. It's every breakfast dish you want all wrapped up into one."

Clint Jensen of Heron has been coming into the general store since the day it opened. "I have breakfast here every day, sometimes dinner," Jensen said. "I always get the hobo bowl. Shawn and Melissa are doing a great job and it's nice to have a place like this in town."

Melissa says the building is brand new, which has allowed for some creative designing on their part. "We added in seating to create a gathering place because the community needed a place to gather," she said.

"Years ago, the business that was previously here was called Heron Siding," Shawn said. "While we didn't want to have the same name as the previous owners, we did want something new that would still let us keep the history. We love the history of the town; there are so many stories here." The Atkinsons designed the interior with the intention of keeping the history of the previous business well preserved, right down to the refurbished wood paneling that was milled in town.

"We have a pretty good idea of what good customer service is, but being store owners is new to us, but we are ready to take it on," Melissa said. "The goal is to have a little bit of everything to keep people happy so they don't have to worry about traveling to find what they need."

To help keep operations running smoothly, Heron Siding General Store has been able to hire two employees to help out. "We make a pretty good team," Melissa said. "Both Savannah and Rabette have been a blessing."

While the general store has only been open for a short period of time, Melissa and Shawn are keeping the community at the forefront of their future plans. "Getting the community back together has always been our first goal," Melissa said. "We're hoping to get the community's support in return. We also want to be able to host events such as farmers markets and eventually bring espresso drinks in."

The Heron Siding General Store will be hosting its first Trunk or Treat Saturday, October 29, from noon to 2 p.m. Afterwards, families are invited to come inside to enjoy cider and chili. "It's always nice fun for the kids to have something to do for Harvest," Melissa said.

Heron Siding General Store is open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. seven days a week and is located at 3 Depot Street in Heron. "This is a place to bring the kids and the grandkids," Melissa said. "We want a mom-and-pop place and moving forward, we are going to make it happen, while still supporting the community."