By Chad Koenen

Publisher

At a time where small-town charm and going the extra mile for customers has been replaced by robots and self-checkout aisles, Mills Country Market continues to serve its customers in a way not commonly seen in today’s culture and on-the-go mentality. The checkers greet customers, bag boys (and in some cases the owner himself) carefully put the items in each bag and carry the items to a vehicle for customers, and specialized items may only be a phone call away. Not only that, but the grocery store continues to grow and evolved by offering some 8,000 SKUs to peruse and enhancements like new coolers and freezers that put the small-town grocery store on par with some big-town rivals.

Now in his ninth year of ownership, Tim Muehler, who purchased the small-town grocery store from NY Mills staple Dean Simpson, continues to ensure the store is meeting the needs of the community and offering affordable grocery items at a time of rising prices and inflation. 

Following the closure of Seip Drug Store on the west end of the Mills Country Market building, Muehler has been fielding a number of questions about the future of the grocery store as well. Muehler said it is business as usual for the grocery store, but stressed the importance of supporting not only Mills Country Market, but other stores in the greater NY Mills area as well.

Many of the questions came about after Muehler began actively trying to sell the space formerly occupied by Seip Drug Store, or lease the 5,000 square foot building with a separate address altogether, to another business.

“We are not going anywhere. We are just trying to lease or sell that part of the building,” he said.

Muehler has approached the NY Mills City Council about moving the city-owned off-sale liquor store to the west end of his building, but that plan died at last month’s city council meeting after the vote to move the liquor store tied in a 2-2 vote. He has also spoken with a number of pharmacies in the area to see if they would be interested in opening a satellite pharmacy in NY Mills as he saw first-hand the need for such a business in the community. Since Seip Drug Store closed earlier this year, residents have had to go to neighboring communities like Wadena and Perham to get their prescription medication. The fear is that will lead to people shopping in those communities, as opposed to NY Mills.

“The problem is when they go out of town for a pharmacy…they are going out of town to get their groceries (gas and other items),” he said. 

Muehler wanted to clear up that the family-owned grocery store is not leaving town or closing and are hoping to stay in the community for generations to come. That being said, like any small town business, they will need continued support to be able to offer the items that local residents have grown accustomed to over the years. If there is an item that residents would like to see in the store, including on the pharmacy and grocery side, he would like to know to see if its something that Mills Country Market can add to its shelves.

“If there is anything people need, just ask us. We will be more than happy to bring in items people need or want,” he said. 

Mills Country Market is open seven days a week on Miller St. in NY Mills.