The closing of the Lagunitas Grocery, which went out of business on May 31, caused heartbreak in the San Geronimo Valley, where neighbors have relied on the store for food, sundries and conversation for more than a century.
But much to their relief, customers will soon be walking through the historic establishment’s doors once again.
Loring Jones, who bought the store in 2019, sold the grocery last week to a couple with strong community ties: Vanessa and Patrick Odenthal.
Vanessa was raised in a house across the street, and her mom still lives there.
“It’s a store I’ve grown up with, and it’s a place the community really relies on,” Ms. Odenthal said. “Pat and I had been talking about wanting to have store like that, so the timing was serendipitous. It’s a place that’s near and dear to me and my family, so it’s a wonderful opportunity.”
The Odenthals plan to reopen the store by July 1, after a little renovation and redecorating, some of which will pay homage to the village’s history as a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad.
“We’re going to try to get it going as fast as we can so that we don’t miss a beat,” Mr. Odenthal said. “We’re not looking to turn it upside down. We just want to keep it flowing so that people can get good food and have a community meeting spot.”
The new owners plan to continue offering longtime staples like the house-made chili, but they will also add some innovations of their own, including smashburgers and take-home pizzas handcrafted in the store.
“The things that have been here will live on, like the killer milkshake the Lagunitas Store is known for across the valley,” Mr. Odenthal said. “We will carry that on, and we will put our touch on it. And soft serve is definitely in the works. It will be a whimsical general store with a great food concept, with the focus on organic and local.”
Mr. Odenthal, 43, has worked for years in the hospitality industry, including stints as an operations manager for restaurants in Sonoma and Marin Counties. Ms. Odenthal, 42, who owns a financial services firm, has a 12-year-old son, Cairo, and the couple is expecting a baby girl in just a few weeks. They live in Novato.
“It was great that somebody came along when they did,” said Mr. Jones, a Woodacre resident. “I’m excited that the store is going to have some new legs.”
He was relieved to find a buyer who understands valley culture.
“I didn’t want some family coming in from Sacramento and taking it over,” he said. “I wanted to keep its integrity. Of course, anybody will put their own spin on it, but I just didn’t want to see it turn into something that I would have regretted every time I drove by. And I didn’t want people in the community asking, ‘Why did you sell to these people?’”
The Odenthals will keep offering items such as ice and firewood for campers around the bend in the Samuel P. Taylor State Park and visitors heading to the beach; they will soon add fishing licenses and live bait.
When Hanna Anki and his wife, Maire, sold the grocery to Mr. Jones, they were also relieved to have found a local buyer. (The Ankis also owned the Woodacre Country Market & Deli, now operated by their daughter Mairead Hill.)
After taking over the store, Mr. Jones added a few key deli items, including tacos and a Reuben sandwich. The Reuben drew raves from a New York customer who encouraged Mr. Jones to stamp “Brooklyn approved” on the menu.
The taqueria also took off, but then the store’s two chefs started their own restaurant, leaving Mr. Jones with the cooking responsibilities.
“Now I was running the store front to back,” he said. “It’s been intense. The last three years have been the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life. I love hard work, but it got to a point where even my health was being compromised.”
The pandemic also took a major toll, both economically and psychologically.
“It was terrifying to be working there those first few months, not having a vaccine,” Mr. Jones said. “We were open the entire time and serving the public from behind a plastic shield, and with those x’s on the floor. I remember going into work every morning feeling like I was risking my life, but we didn’t want to close. I wanted to be available for the community.”
He’s ready to spend more time with his family now. His son, Marcelo, 19, will soon attend college, and his daughter, Nadia, 17, is entering her senior year at Archie Williams.
“For the last seven years or so, I’ve been completely swallowed up by the store, and I’ve missed a lot of quality time with kids,” Mr. Jones said. “They’re getting ready to leave the nest soon, and my parents are getting older. This is a good time for me to bow out.”
An accomplished musician, Mr. Jones also plans to focus on the music career he put on hold when he took over the store. He played drums with the Mo’Fessionals, a Bay Area funk/acid/hip-hop band that once opened for the Ohio Players and gigged with Parliament-Funkadelic.
Like Mr. Jones, Mr. Odenthal’s musical tastes run to the funky side. He will keep his ample collection of vinyl in the store, along with a turntable—his own take on a jukebox. At the top of his playlist: James Brown.