From the Marshall Independent January 4, 1988
Residents rally behind business
By Rae Krueger
PORTER - Residents of Porter and the surrounding area showed their support for a convenience store/cafe with about $14,000 donated during a drive to sell stock in the business.
Dan Dybsetter, chairman of the board of directors that is developing the convenience store/cafe project, said, "We felt that in order to proceed with confidence toward our goal, we needed a fair amount of local support."
Ervin Esping solicited pledges from the community. "Everybody seems to want to get a mini-store and cafe."
Since early in 1987, Porter has been without a cafe. The locker plant made space for a makeshift cafe, but when it closed this fall, the town was left without a cafe and a place to buy a loaf of bread.
"We've got to run out of town for everything we get," Esping said.
This inconvenience started a group of people thinking and talking. The discussion led the group to pursue the building of a convenience store and cafe in Porter.
A drive to sell $50 shares in the business ended in September. The group also acquired a piece of property from the city.
Judging by the monetary response, the group expects good customer support from the community.
Porter resident Bertha Speight said, "Sure, people will support it. The cafe will get a lot of morning and afternoon coffee drinkers. There should be a lot of breakfasts."
Jon Thomsen, Porter city clerk, said the group had hoped a building on the site for the store and cafe would have been demolished last week but weather and other problems delayed the demolition of the building.
Dybsetter said construction is expected to start this month.
"A good share of it will volunteer labor," Dybsetter said.
The plans haven't been finalized yet, but Dybsetter said there will be a convenience store, cafe area and a community meeting room. "I think it will be a little bigger than a cafe/store area," Dybsetter said.
Grant funds will be used to pay for the demolition of the building, Thomsen said. The group also expects to obtain more funds for the new business from organizations and through additional grants.
Thomsen said there's potential for $15,000 in pledges over the next few years from various organizations.
He said the money collected and the pledged money will be used for the construction and operation costs of the business.
Thomsen said the business will eventually become self-sufficient.
If the early strong community support continues, that won't be to long.