Dutch Market opens to sizable crowd

WASHINGTON — Cars filled the parking lot, then lined up along Highway 1 Saturday morning, Aug. 17, as scores of community members flocked to a brand-new general store in Washington for its first day of business.

The occasion at Dutch Market was celebrated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Washington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, who presented owners with a commemorative plaque and the storefront’s first dollar.

“I don’t really have words this morning, I feel overwhelmed with the support,” said owner Mervin Yoder. “You’re not only supporting me and my family, but there’s a lot of employees back here, so you’re supporting a lot of people, and we want to thank you for that.”

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The sizable crowd turned out despite the ceremony’s timing at 8 a.m., after months of waiting for the store which was scheduled to open in the spring, but faced months of delays. Yoder thanked his family and employees for their efforts getting the project off the ground, and for their readiness to handle so many shoppers in their first day on the job.

With the ribbons cut and the doors opened, that work started paying off Saturday. Customers packed into the store to peruse the aisles, as well as an in-house coffee shop, bakery and deli. The store largely features discounted groceries — bought wholesale from suppliers eager to clear warehouses — in an effort to keep prices low.

“There’s a lot of us that have big families,” Yoder said. “We all know how it is to grocery shop, and sometimes the checkbook doesn’t reach around. There will be deals here, so you can stretch your dollar a little bit.”

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Yoder, who is Mennonite, said he hoped to offer products available at similar stores in Kalona without the long drive, adding that he was eager to welcome any and all community members in the door.

“Our mission here for the store is, we like to serve people and we want to be a light to the community,” he said. “We have maybe a different culture, but we are like you, out there, so we are all the same. We all serve the same God.”

Editor’s note: further details about Dutch Market will be available in the Washington Progress Edition on Sept. 12.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com