Former Owner Of P.G Towns And Sons Fondly Remembers The Douro Landmark Four Years After It Caught Fire
/Four years ago, on Feb. 2, 2018, Douro residents were shocked and saddened to learn that P.G Towns and Sons General Store had burnt to the ground after being a staple in the community for over 125 years.
On Feb. 2, 2018 around 1 a.m. the building fondly referred to by locals as ‘The Store’ caught fire.
The Store was the hub of the community. Located right in the centre of the Hamlet of Douro, it brought locals together for groceries, farm goods and the latest local news.
Michelle Towns owned and operated the store with her husband Chris Coons for about 12 years, until they shut it down in 2016.
The Store made a come back when Michelle’s sister Nancy Towns, along with her brother Mark and Bernard and Lise Leahy re-opened the building calling it ‘Towns and Leahy Mercantile’.
Below are photos taken by Mike Towns at the opening of Towns and Leahy Mercantile in 2017.