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After a century, Perry's in Norwood going out of business

Posted 4/19/19

BY MATT LINDSEY North Country This Week NORWOOD – Perry’s Market in Norwood is closing after over 101 years in business. Owners Rick and Carina Gilchrist bought the business in its 99th year from …

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After a century, Perry's in Norwood going out of business

Posted

BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

NORWOOD – Perry’s Market in Norwood is closing after over 101 years in business.

Owners Rick and Carina Gilchrist bought the business in its 99th year from Sue Perry in August 2016.

"It is with great sadness that I had to close Perry’s Market,” said owner Rick Gilchrist. “My heart hurts for the staff who will lose their jobs. Any employer in the North Country would be crazy not to snatch them up immediately. They are loyal, diligent, and full of good character.”

Perry’s offered everything one would expect to find at a grocery store, including a meat department, fresh produce, a bakery and deli. They sold some ready-to-eat foods such as pizza, breakfast sandwiches and dinner specials.

“To ethically be able to honor our creditors, vendors, and people on payroll we had to close the store rather than waiting to see how it went for another few months,” he said. “Based on the statistics, over the last 5 years, things were not going to improve but rather continue to diminish.”

Gilchrist and his family recently had remodeled the store in the hopes that it would turn business around.

“We had hoped a new renovation, new product lines, and a new layout might impact that downward trend,” Gilchrist said. “For the sake of the staff, it was worth trying. At the end of the day, my hope is that maybe someone might make a real go at it.”

The store, which used to be called Perry’s Big M, was renamed Perry’s Market after Gilchrist purchased it. Prior to Perry’s Big M, the store was called Kingsley’s Grocery and was owned by Roy Kingsley. It was unclear when Sue Perry purchased the business from the Kingsleys.

Kingsley purchased it in 1964 from the Holt family. Stanley Holt took over the family-owned business from his father E.J Holt in 1937. E.J. had opened The Company Store in 1917.

It was not clear if the store has always operated at 58 Spring St.

“I am as passionate as ever for the local economy, and maybe someday I’ll get another chance to impact it for the better,” he said.

Gilchrist says he has nothing but “gratitude and appreciation” for friends and neighbors in Norwood.

“My wife and I pray for a great financial blessing on the community and for the families in the years to come,” he said. “Though this is one of the hardest things my family has had to endure, our faith is that Jesus will provide a new path for us."

Gilchrist, originally from Boston, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Canton. Catrina is a native of Madrid.

The store advertised a 40-percent-off sale April 18-20 and 50 percent off everything April 22-24. Hours will be 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. until the last day of operation.