Creekside closes up shop

After 12 years of serving Kahnawake, Creekside Store has decided to shutter its doors, much to the dismay of hundreds of community members who have taken to social media to share fond memories of the beloved local business.

“It was a store that had just about everything and very nice people, with polite and good service,” said Kanerahtenhtha Stacey, a longtime Creekside customer who also sold two dozen of her organic chicken eggs to the store for them to sell every other week.

She said it was a “very sad day” when she and her family heard the news of Creekside’s closure.

“I would buy my grandchildren certificates for their birthday and they loved the store, buying their tons of different candies and ice cream,” she said.

In June, the store’s popcorn machine had caught on fire, and though the fire was quickly contained due in no small part to quick thinking from staff, smoke damage caused the business to temporarily close.

In a public statement on Facebook, Creekside owners Jake Deer and Babe Jacobs said they’d taken the difficult decision not to reopen after that closure.

“These past 12 years have been full of dedication, hard work, and heart. It’s become clear over the last few weeks just how much of ourselves we’ve given to this journey… and how much it’s quietly worn us down,” the statement reads.

The duo had carried on the torch from a similar store, Evelyn’s, which had been a staple of their own childhoods.

“Evelyn graciously blessed us with her approval all those years ago, and we’ve done our best to carry on her legacy with love, joy, and a deep sense of community,” the statement continues. “Now, it’s our turn to do the same.”

The joint statement expresses hope that in the future, another local business will take the reins over from Creekside, filling the gap that the store will leave in the community.

Though it’s not clear right now who that business could be, hundreds of locals have expressed their support of Deer and Jacobs as they bid farewell to the store, with nearly 700 reactions at the time of publishing and around 120 comments and shares each.

Calcifer Goodleaf was one of the employees in the store at the time of the fire, and helped extinguish it, limiting damage. They said it’s hard to say goodbye to the business, which had become a special part of their weekly routine.

“There’s not anywhere else in town that’s quite like it,” Goodleaf said. “It’s going to be really sad.”

Goodleaf said they’ll forever remember the regulars that stopped by the store, especially those that fuelled up on some of the brightly coloured syrups that Creekside stocked to make custom drinks.

“I would love introducing people to the blueberry slushy for the first time, or when little kids would come in and see the moose we have hanging on top of the door and get all excited,” they said. “There’s a lot of fun things that would happen.”

Creekside stocked a number of local products on its shelves, allowing community members to shop local without stopping by several businesses each time.

Local business Rowy’s, which makes pickles, salsas, and more, was a staple at the store.

“It’s bittersweet, Jake and Babe did wonders for small businesses in the community. They happily carried our products and gave us a prime spot on their shelves,” said Rowy’s owner, Austin Lazare. “We thank them for creating tons of memories for the kids, and wish them nothing but the best.”

Though neighbours are sad to see the business go, they remain hopeful of what could come next for the business if it were to be taken over by another local entrepreneur. Those include Lorna Delaronde-Kirby, who lives next door to Creekside.

“Living next door to the Creekside Store was so convenient and welcoming, my husband was constantly there buying lotto tickets, Mis-O-Jeux, and groceries, which he misses terribly,” Delaronde-Kirby said. “Good luck to Jake and Babe on opening your beautiful store to our community, time to relax and enjoy life, it goes way too fast.”

As Creekside cleans out its shelves, Deer and Jacobs say they’ll continue to honour any Creekside Store gift certificates in circulation, either by allowing customers to shop at their home, or exchanging them for Shop Kahnawake gift certificates.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for 12 unforgettable years,” the two said in their post. “It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve you.”

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