New "mayor" for Rosburg?

Have you had a chance to trek through downtown Rosburg lately? If not, there is much activity at the site of the Rosburg Store, which will open again soon with new owners, Norman and Joyce Bolton of Rosburg. Sporting a new coat of light colored paint on the outside (thanks to Marlee Blain), new merchandise, walls and floors all spruced up, and lots of hard work from the whole Bolton Family, the Rosburg Store will once again be the central meeting place for the community.

Norm took time to sit down and give me some details on the reopening of the store. Daughter, Leslie and granddaughter, Cassie will be working most of the time with minimal involvement from Norm and Joyce (“hopefully,” he says wistfully). They hope to run the store much as it has always been run, carrying the usual grocery items, dairy products, Coke and Pepsi products, some produce, a snack bar with coffees and iced drinks, some household items, a few auto items, greeting cards, lottery, etc. The gas pumps will supply gas (with ethanol) and diesel.

The store will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the sign in front of the store will continue to read: “Welcome to Rosburg, not Roseburg.”

The shelves are already stocked with many of the saleable items but the gas pumps need to be recalibrated next week, and the liquor license is still pending for another week or so, but if you happen by, and the door is open, they would be happy to serve you whatever they have available during the days leading up to the actual opening, sort of a soft opening, if you will.

If possible, they would like to stock local produce, meats, and dairy products, and also keep the prices low enough that folks won’t mind shopping there instead of running to Naselle or Cathlamet for everyday items. Gas prices will compete with Cathlamet prices, as well.

A grand opening will take place within a few weeks, but in the meantime, feel free to stop in and check out what’s available and have a chat with the new owners, Norm, Joyce, Leslie and Cassie.

I asked Norm the big question, “Why did you buy the store?” I thought his answer said a lot about the person he is, and his family. He answered, “Because the community needs the store.” With that said, I hope that the whole community will support this effort by the Bolton family to give us back something we have all missed for the past few months.

Norm and Joyce came to the area from southern California in 1996, after buying property in Rosburg. They have been married for 54 years and are very active in the community. They belong to the Grays River Grange #124 and to the American Legion Post #111 in Deep River. Joyce is very involved with the Quilters Group in Rosburg and the Rosburg Community Club, while Norm sat on the Wahkiakum County Conservation District board for six years, and he was extremely instrumental in getting the Community Computer Center at Johnson Park up and running and has volunteered many hours each week, since the beginning. His latest efforts, for the past three years or so, have been as a member of the Johnson Park Advisory Board, with the hope of building a community park for the entire area to enjoy. Their dedication to the community is commendable and much appreciated by all of those who work with them and also benefit from their volunteerism.

Finally, I asked Norm if the real reason he bought the store was so he could become the Mayor of Rosburg, as that was jokingly the title given to Mike Swanson while he was the store’s owner. Norm simply grinned. Welcome, Mayor Bolton!