MASON, Mich — Darell's Market and Hardware in Mason is celebrating 80 years of business this weekend, marking a significant milestone as the only family-owned independent grocery store left in the area.
- Darell's Market and Hardware has been family-owned and operated for 80 years in Mason.
- The business has expanded beyond grocery to include a bookstore, deli, and café in downtown Mason.
- The current owner is preparing to pass the business to her son, continuing the family legacy into a fourth generation.
A Mason staple is celebrating a major milestone this weekend as Darell's Market and Hardware marks 80 years of serving the community as the last family-owned independent grocery store in the area.
WATCH: Mason's last independent grocery store celebrates 80 years of family business
"Out of 80 years, we are the only store left. Family owned, family run, independent," said Jamie Robinson, the third-generation owner of Darell's Market and Hardware.
Robinson took over the business from her parents in the 1990s, continuing a family tradition.
"My dad and mom said we're ready to retire, and we're going to sell to somebody; it's either going to be one of you four or someone else. So, my husband and I bought the business from my parents in '96," Robinson said.
The success and longevity of Darell's sparked new development in Mason, helping to expand the downtown area across from the historic Ingham County Courthouse.
"In 1997, we started a little bookstore on Maple Street," Robinson said.
That initial expansion with Bestsellers Bookstore soon led to the opening of the Vault Deli, creating a small business ecosystem in downtown Mason.
"Now we have the Nuts & Bolts Cafe, which is a big project of people at Bestsellers and my son," Robinson said.
Amy LeForge, Executive Director of the Mason Chamber of Commerce, says these businesses have become key community staples that have shaped Mason's development.
"They're just always supporting and giving right back to the community," LeForge said.
As Robinson prepares to pass the torch to her son as the next owner, continuing the family legacy into a fourth generation, she remains grateful to neighbors for their decades of support.
"We're very thankful, very grateful to the community, for all our staff. It's a big deal for all of us to have an 80-year anniversary," Robinson said.
Darell's is hosting an 80th-year celebration this weekend that is open to the public. More information about the event can be found at FOX47NEWS.COM.
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