By MATT LINDSEY

WANAKENA -- The Wanakena General Store, 6 Hamele St., will close permanently Oct. 15 due to a lack of business, according to owners Rick Kovacs and Angie Oliver

“Mom and pop general stores are going the way of the steam locomotives,” Kovacs said.

Kovacs and Oliver took over the store in May 2010 after the previous owners had closed it the preceding December. The store was in operation for over 20 years.

“Business would be fine in the summer but with the population and mills being closed it didn't make economic sense to stay open,” Kovacs said. “Any gains made in the summer were lost in the winter.”

The store sells groceries, beer, snacks and supplies for hiking, paddling, fishing and hunting.

The owners released the following statement concerning the store closing on the Wanakena General Store Facebook page:

“We are sorry to announce that the Wanakena General Store will close permanently on October 15th. Despite any sentimental feelings about the store, the numbers just don’t add up to show a viable business and we have had to come to this decision. We would like to thank all of you who have supported the general store during our time operating it and hope you will remember us as the people who kept the it open an additional 5 1/2 years.

We will also be ending the Wanakena General Store Facebook page. It has functioned much as an “I love Wanakena” page and we are sure there are many of you who would like to keep tabs on the happenings in town. We invite you to like our other Facebook page for Packbasket Adventures Lodge & Guide Service, where we will continue postings about events around Wanakena, in particular the eventual rebuild of the footbridge. In the meantime, keep checking this page for sale announcements as we close out our stock at the General Store.”

They will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until they close.

Info: 848-3008 or www.wanakenageneralstore.com/.