122-Year-Old Southern Minnesota General Store Closes Its Doors

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota community is saying goodbye to a piece of its history.

For 122 years, one general store has served the small, rural community of Godahl, Minnesota. It's the oldest running cooperative in the state.

Godahl is about 40 miles west of Mankato. Only around 13 people live there.

The store opened in 1894. At that time, shoes cost $1.25 a pair and socks were a mere 8 cents.

Since then, it's been a place for the community to get basic needs.

Now, a lack of shoppers is forcing the store to close.

"It just comes down to dollars and cents, I guess. We've tried and we've done some fundraising stuff and just, foot traffic, we don't see the foot traffic in the door anymore. It's hard to get supplies in," board member Nate Frederickson said.

Saturday was the store's last day in business. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.