MILLERS FALLS — When residents are in need of a last-minute gift or a forgotten ingredient in a recipe, they can now visit Pub General, a new endeavor pursued by Millers Pub owner Tammy Tolzdorf.

Having decided the village was in need of a store where residents can purchase food and vegetables, Tolzdorf worked for months constructing shelves, getting inventory and obtaining licenses. She opened Pub General on East Main Street on Oct. 1.

“People told me they were sick of driving to Turners when they needed an onion or a potato,” Tolzdorf said.

Opening a new store does not come without kinks.

“I could run a bar with my eyes closed, but this market will take a lot of learning,” Tolzdorf said.

Two employees from the pub help out at the store, with Tolzdorf working seven days a week in her two businesses and rental apartments upstairs. She said she hopes to get a system down soon to have the store working efficiently, but it will take a lot of learning to get there.

“This will be my forte when I’m done with it,” she said.

Tolzdorf bought the bar called Equis, which is now Millers Pub, in 2006.

“Miller Falls has changed a lot since then,” she said.

Between the Rustic Romance antique store, The Whistle Stop Cafe and Element Brewing Co., businesses have worked together to make Millers Falls a destination, Tolzdorf said. Now with a general store, people can get a variety of goods in the little downtown area.

Although Tolzdorf was originally unsure what the inventory should be, she has slowly grown the available inventory by speaking with customers and her employees from Millers Pub. As people request different items for cooking, she adds the goods to her shelves, building a store to fit the village’s exact needs.

Along with many items with recognizable labels, like Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, the store carries products with its own branding. People can buy “Pub General” pickles, salsa, dipping sauces and baking mixes.

“They are very popular,” Tolzdorf commented. “I can’t keep the Bloody Mary mix on the shelf.”

The store’s own branding was made because “I didn’t want to be like a regular market,” she noted. These labels give the store a signature line of items that can’t be purchased elsewhere.

Along with food, the store sells small last-minute gifts and crafts. Tolzdorf said she knows many craftspeople in the area and started buying their work wholesale. She also works with a dealer to get handmade work from across the country and abroad. She imports German hand-carved wood and sells jewelry made from recycled depression glass. The store also carries a Wendell artist’s uniquely themed gnomes that are used as home decor.

The local response to the new store has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Tolzdorf, with many repeat customers coming back regularly.

“I still have a lot to learn and will make many mistakes,” she said, noting that she is up for the challenge.

Pub General’s hours are Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bella Levavi can be reached at blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.

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