Writing about Springlake stores has unleashed a trove of memories.

Roswell and Evelyn Saeli were selling their store and moving to a new establishment in Romulus. John and Norma Behm knew that farmers and village folk needed a nearby source of groceries and sundries so these hard-working people stepped in. They gave up farming and ran the store from 1965 until about 1970 when it closed for good. Their children, Jack and Diane, have many good memories of that store. I thank them for sharing and also for the stories shared by Percy Shaffer.

At first Behms lived upstairs over the store but soon purchased a house in the village. Norma became an unofficial “mom” to most of the neighborhood. In the winter, kids would come from all over to ice-skate on the frozen creek in the village. Norma would make a huge urn of hot chocolate and let all the kids in to get warm. Those were the days when indeed a whole village raised its children and it was not unusual for neighbors to chastise an errant teen or to do some well-received “counseling.” Kids were always welcome in the store but “they weren't allowed to get away with anything,” and they knew and respected the rules.

Percy Shaffer and John often hunted together. Percy says there was no better place to get your venison cut up than Behm's store in Springlake. Often there would be a dozen or so deer hanging in the chill November air waiting to be custom butchered. The butcher block was a huge tree stump on legs and the walk in cooler was lined with sawdust and newspaper.

Another speciality was homemade sausage - the secret recipe was entrusted to Behms by Saelis. Patrons would drive from Rochester for the special spices and careful processing. The giant wheel of sharp cheddar cheese was also a drawing card.

The store was a country gathering place and people turned to Behms for help when times were hard. Extending credit was a natural thing to do then but it wasn't financially provident. People just couldn't pay and their children were hungry. Even after the store closed folks would stop and pay their balance when they could. During the Blizzard of '66 #- Norma rationed the whole milk to people with children and cajoled the adults with evaporated or dry milk. She knew everyone's circumstances and sold eggs one or two at a time when she knew there was not a refrigerator in the home.

Behms had gas pumps in front of the store. They sold Gulf gas delivered by Engleson and Vanlier from Wolcott. During the '66 blizzard there was a fire across the street in the hotel #- John and Hugh Storms and Bob Benson ran across and were able to put it out while it was still a small blaze, “before the pumps caught and the whole town blew up!”

I will be sharing many more stories of Springlake stores. If you have thoughts to contribute, please call me at 776-4726. I had a wonderful letter and photos of Marshall's Store generated by the last article (I am grateful for Linda Marshall and Bill Marshall). Thank you all for your help in preserving our wonderful small town heritage.

Joni Lincoln is the town of Conquest historian