Baker’s Country Store in Conway fully back in business following repairs

CONWAY — The future of Baker’s Country Store was in doubt over the summer following a deluge of rain that damaged the river embankment, crushed the septic tank and washed away a portion of the parking lot.

The town staple is no longer in jeopardy, though, thanks to the effort of community fundraising and the Bakers’ own wallets. As of this fall, Baker’s Country Store is fully back in business, with running water in the pipes and gas flowing from the pumps.

Helen Baker, who has owned the store since 1985 and has worked there since 1972, said repairs cost more than $80,000, as they needed to stabilize the embankment above the South River, install a new 3,000-gallon septic system and redo the parking lot. The store remained open throughout the repair process, but a lack of a septic system required a closure of the bathrooms and dishes had to be washed at home.

“The community’s been awesome,” Baker said, adding that she and her husband, Fire Chief Robert Baker, received more support than they ever thought they would. “I wanted to get a thank you to everyone out there.”

Community fundraising efforts included a GoFundMe organized by Conway resident Kate Clayton-Jones, which raised more than $24,000 for the Bakers. That money was supplemented by a chicken barbecue fundraiser organized by the Bakers’ children.

With a good chunk of money raised, Clayton-Jones encouraged folks to stop by Baker’s Country Store at 101 River St. (Route 116) and buy things there to help bring another little boost to the store.

“The best thing that we can do is spend money at her store,” Clayton-Jones wrote in an update to the GoFundMe. “Helen makes food from scratch, and her baked goods are out of this world. Please take a friend to lunch, pick up your paper at her counter, stop in for milk or eggs, or fruit or a pad of paper, crayons or a fish hook. Her store is a true treasure.”

While things have brightened up substantially, the outlook back in August was quite gloomy for the Bakers. A July 17 rainstorm dumped upwards of 2 inches of rain on the town in an hour, which overwhelmed the catch basin above the store and sent water flowing over the 6-inch berm the Bakers had constructed.

As a result of the flooding, the store had no bathrooms because the septic tank was damaged and had to stop selling fuel, which is about half of the store’s income, as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said the fuel tank was at risk, according to Helen Baker.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation upgraded the catch basin on Route 116, but because the storm damage was caused by an unusually severe storm — and not MassDOT’s action or inaction — it was not responsible for the repairs. No previous damage complaints were logged to MassDOT at the location.

With repairs complete, Baker said she will likely explore the option of putting the store back on the market to prepare to sell it in the next few years. She had put it on the market over the summer, but pulled it down after the property was damaged.

Baker’s Country Store is open seven days a week, opening at 6 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends. The store’s Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/BakersCountryStore369.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.