They Say That an Apple a Day Will Cure Your Ills

My wife says that, 50 years ago when my wife was just a little girl, remembers going down to the Holland General Store with her dad to buy tools, supplies, and other hard goods.

She remembers the man behind the counter, with a stiff plastic collar and a big handlebar mustache.

There was bin after bin along the counter, all filled with interesting items.. No matter what it is that you needed, when you asked, the storekeeper would disappear into the stacks, and return a short time later with the desired item.

This store was right across the street from the mill, where her dad would take the corn that the tenant farmer had grown on the farm, and it would be ground into corn meal to make cakes, cookies, and bread.

During the next 50 years, this property has gone through a number of changes.  First it became a small, interesting restaurant, called the “Holland House.”  It stayed this way for many years, even though it passed through a couple of different owners.  I remember eating there several times, and though the place was getting a little run down, it was a good local place with decent food. 

Then a couple of men of the Bell family who wanted to really do things right bought the place, and invested a substantial amount of money to totally redo the place, including opening up a take-out pizza place next door, and building a really nice outdoor deck to draw the summer evening crowds.  It was beginning to gain an excellent reputation as a meeting spot and eatery.  The great long bar was the focus inside, but there were a couple of interior rooms for parties and meetings.

Then came the recession of 2008, and things started to go awry for the owners.  Costs went up, customers stayed away, and problems began to pile up.  The result?  Foreclosure by the Fulton Bank.

And what is the name of this place?  As of 2007 it is called “Johnny Apples.”  But as you can see in the picture, the sign is covered by a for-sale sign.  And a closure statement is posted on the front door.

It’s a shame that this honorable building has come to this, but I’m sure that someday it will reopen and be a happy active place again.  Mr. Stephen Darlington, of Prudential Fox & Roach has told me that there are a few interested parties that want to reopen the place as a restaurant, and he expects to see an offer in the next few months.

If you have experiences with any of the lifetimes of this place, please post them in the comments.  I would love to gather other experiences with this place.