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Community welcomes store reopening in Industry

6 mins read
Dovey and Philip Balsam of Industry opened a new store
Dovey and Philip Balsam of Industry opened Happy Valley Farm Market & Bakery on Saturday in the former Ugly Moose convenience store space on Route 43 at Allen’s Mills.
Dovey Balsam's fresh baked goods that include her famous muffins, are now featured at the
Dovey Balsam’s fresh baked goods, including her famous muffins, are now featured at the Happy Valley Farm Market & Bakery in Industry.

INDUSTRY – What started as a farm’s vegetable stand, then grew to include a home bakery, has now opened into an everything store centered at the heart of this community.

After six weeks of renovation work, Dovey and Philip Balsam reopened a store in the former Ugly Moose store in Allen’s Mills on Route 43 as the Happy Valley Farm Market & Bakery on Saturday.

The longtime Industry residents took on the project to open the town’s only general store because, “we knew there was a need,” Dovey Balsam said.

Originally, the building perched on Clearwater Lake housed The Ugly Moose convenience store for 8 years until it closed in 2010. At that time, the building’s owner, Gary Smith, who also co-owned the store, said insufficient revenue coming in and the state’s regulations and costs required of businesses that serve food, were among the reasons for closing the store.

Luker’s Place, also a convenience store that served pizza and was run by the Luker family, opened a year later. It closed on the last day of 2013. Since then the first floor store space remained empty next to the popular town beach and boat ramp.

The Balsams had a farm stand offering their fresh vegetables. Dovey Balsam then started to add her baked goods to the farm stand’s offerings.

True to their farm stand roots, locally-produced vegetables, maple syrup, honey, and craft work are also offered at the new Happy Valley Farm Bakery & Market on Route 43 in Industry.
True to their farm stand roots, locally-produced vegetables, maple syrup, honey, and craft work are also offered at the new Happy Valley Farm Bakery & Market on Route 43 in Industry.

“We wanted to expand; we wanted to support the farmers,” she said. Despite never having managed a convenience-like store before, the Balsams began renovating the store space on July 1. Much work was needed to be accomplished before opening on Saturday.

Renovations included bringing the space in compliance with the latest in the state’s permitting and licensing requirements for a business that is part restaurant, part bakery and general sundries store.

Renovations included new equipment, including a new oven for the bakery. The old carpet was pulled up and replaced with warm wood flooring. Lighting was rearranged and the kitchen spruced up to give the store a lighter, brighter look.

They moved Dovey Balsam’s  home kitchen bakery equipment and entire operation to the store and then had to practice working in the new space.

The couple have table and chairs for a sit-down meal or a cup of coffee, and have added a cozy corner with big comfy chairs that look out from the store’s big windows onto an expansive lake scene. Free wifi is offered for patrons.

“We wanted a comfortable place to hang out,” she said and added, “Especially for that morning cup of coffee where people like to gather here and chit chat, catching up on the news.”

The new store has a full line of convenience store items that include soda, beer and soon-to-be a wine selection; pizza, and both, made-to-order and grab-and-go sandwiches. Dovey Balsam’s fresh baked goods include her famous muffins, pies and the extremely popular coconut whoopie pies.

True to their farm stand roots, locally-produced vegetables, maple syrup, honey, and craft work are also offered. Balsam hopes to add another baker’s artisan breads to the store’s offerings and more to the store.

The store is open seven days a week, which is why five part-time employees have been hired with more needed, she said. Training in baking and managing a store is ongoing.

“We have a really good crew,” Dovey Balsam said of her staff as her husband Philip Balsam took sandwich orders from a line-up of customers on Wednesday. The couple were surprised at how busy they’ve been since they opened just five days ago.

“We’ve done much better than we expected,” she said. “Everybody’s excited and glad we reopened.” While the summer months provide a constant stream of hungry beach-goers, it’s the winter months they’re already working on.

One idea is to host family events like a community football game night. But whatever the events may be, the store’s  focus will be on “keeping the community in touch” with each other, she added.

The store’s hours are Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dovey and Philip Balsam reopened the former Ugly Moose store in Allen's Mills on Route 43 as the Happy Valley Farm Market & Bakery on Saturday. At left is the Industry town beach.
Dovey and Philip Balsam reopened the former Ugly Moose store in Allen’s Mills on Route 43 as the Happy Valley Farm Market & Bakery on Saturday. At left is the Industry town beach.
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20 Comments

  1. So glad to see another store open. Congratulations to your new business, I’m sure you will be busy. Hot soups etc. Will be enjoyed by the ice fishermen…

  2. Thank you everyone for your continued support. Yes we do plan on carrying soups during the winter months as well as our expanding menu for pizzas and specialty sandwiches as time progresses
    And for those who are wondering… Yes we are looking into carrying bait such as nightcrawlers in the near future.

  3. Creating and strengthening community bonds are really what it’s all about.

    Congratulations, Balsams…excited for your new venture!

  4. This is great! Seeing that building sitting empty was sad. Congratulations. I’m sure it will be very popular.

  5. Congratulations to you both! It’s great to see a positive story about people realizing their dreams.

  6. So excited to have a store back in this area!! I might actually drive that route to Madison again, now that there is a place to stop for coffee and breakfast!! Wishing you all lots of success.

  7. As an Industry resident I am very happy to see a great business open up. Will definitely stop in!

  8. I ordered 3 kinds of cookies from the Happy Valley Farm Market yesterday. It was great not to have to bake on a hot day and everyone raved about the taste of all the cookies. I especially liked the molasses ones!

  9. Great to have industry in Industry! I remember when this was Barney Durrell’s garage. He was the “Mayor of Bull-Horse Pond. He had a Coke machine, sodas were 10 cents.

  10. I’m so happy that there is a store open there again, can’t wait to try some of the food from there!

  11. Thank you! It’s so nice to have ‘the store’ open again. BTW: your pizza is wonderful!! ;-)

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