Southampton’s downtown grocery store, Harrigan’s Red & White is closing its doors on October 31st after 35 years of business.
Mary Ellen Harrigan says it’s time for her to retire.
The Harrigans moved to Southampton from London, Ont. and started the business in 1986, “My husband and I bought this business together,” says Harrigan. She notes in 2003, she took on running the store after her husband’s back problems rendered him unable to work.
She says now, with health issues of her own, she feels it’s in her best interest to slow down a bit.
Harrigan says for several years now, she’s been running the full grocery store, with the help of her staff. The store has a bakery, deli and ice cream counter among other services, “We do a lot of catering, we do Meals On Wheels, we’ve done the Day Away program, I cook for the Rotary, we work with the schools, the museums, the municipalities, the County of Bruce, the Town of Saugeen Shores, we’ve done a lot of catering,” says Harrigan who notes catering is what she loves to do but adds, “Doing all that was getting a bit much.”
She says the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the catering business right down, adding to difficulties.
Harrigan says back in 2007, she nearly shut the store down when it was facing difficulties, “But I talked to the right people,” says Harrigan, “I had two ladies in town here take me around and show me how some older stores utilize equipment that may be not working right and how to improve it. Next thing I knew, I had said yes to some help and we had 60 volunteers come in here to repaint.”
Harrigan says they painted and cleaned, replaced windows, a whole wall and sanded the floors, “We did all kinds of things and we’ve changed it to what it is today and if it weren’t for those people, I don’t think we’d be here. They helped turn it around.”
One of the things they did at that time was add ice cream, and Harrigan says, one person has since written in her guest book, that they came in for ‘breakfast ice cream’ at 8 a.m. every single day of the week they stayed in Southampton.
Harrigan plans to continue living in Southampton during her retirement, “If I retire now, I have time to play with my four grand kids,” she says, noting time off will also allow her to go for drives and day trips with her husband.
Harrigan says what she’ll miss most of all is the community, “Just the people coming in. Seeing a smile on someone’s face,” says Harrigan adding, “The fun when people come in and they talk and laugh, I really think it’s the social aspect that’s going to be hard for me.”
Harrigan says she’ll have to adjust to not unlocking the door every day and notes the cowbell that’s hung on the door for the past 35 years is going home with her son and grandson.
She has received some cherished parting gifts, including an apron with a picture of the storefront on it, as well as framed pictures and cards, one of which reads, “You walk in the front door to hear the cowbell, to walk on the original wood flooring in the store, to see the smiles of the people behind the counter, and it brings you home.”
Harrigan says stock left over after she closes her doors will be donated to the women’s shelter in Owen Sound and the rest will go to the local food bank which Harrigan’s bakery donates to weekly. She says people have been very supportive of the food bank plan with their own donations as well, “It would make me feel good to put it in the community and help it out that way,” says Harrigan.
She says she plans to sell the building, but has not put it on the market just yet.
The store’s last day will be Saturday, October 31st, from 9a.m. to 4 p.m.
