GODAHL, Minn. — For 122 years, the Godahl Store has been the gathering spot and general store for this tiny farming community straddling Brown and Watonwan counties.

At the end of the day Saturday, the store will close its doors for good, succumbing to inevitable economics.

“The operations of the store have been subsidized by community fundraising for years,” said Carlie Olson, who lives near Godahl and whose husband is on the board that oversees the store’s operations.

Built in 1894, it is the oldest consumer cooperative general store still operating in Minnesota and the third oldest in the United States.

Olson said because of the low volume of merchandise sold, vendors would no longer deliver milk, household cleaners, nonperishable food and other staples to the rural outpost, leaving board members and supporters to buy things in other communities to stock the store.

“There’s been a ton of support in the way of fundraising, but it reached a point where it couldn’t be sustained,” Olson said.

The store, officially called the Nelson and Albin Cooperative and Mercantile Association, has always been much more than a store, and Olson and others hope to preserve the building as a community center.

“It’s always been a community gathering place. There is a group of men that come for coffee every day, there’s teams that play baseball and softball in Godahl that come in and are tied to it. It has a lot of historical significance to the farmers in the area.”

Godahl has around 20 residents in its borders, but the larger farming area around it, and nearby towns of Hanska and St. James, have always embraced the enclave, which also features a well-used baseball/softball field complex and playgrounds.

Gary Sturm, mayor of St. James, said the area has always been proud of the community. Related Articles St. Louis Park man, 23, accused of joining Islamic State, is returned to U.S. to face terrorism charges

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“They have a great ball field up there that’s used a lot. They take a lot of pride in their community, which is understandable,” Sturm said. “It’s unfortunate the store’s closing. They’ve tried so hard for so long to keep it open.”

Godahl is perhaps best known for its annual Godahl Labor Day celebration, which for 60 years has drawn large crowds for the parade and other events.

Olson said that next month the board will hold a community meeting to get ideas on how to proceed. She said some are hoping a nonprofit can be set up and funding secured to maintain the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. She said the hope is it can still be opened at times and used as a community center.

The ownership of the building, however, is a bit ambiguous. It was owned by the co-op members in the area. But Olson said there are no longer any shareholders or certificate holders.

“They were all forfeited years ago when there was no profit,” she said.

With no clear ownership, the board will make decisions on moving forward, but Olson said it will be driven by area residents’ wishes at the community meeting.

“Everyone who attends has a right to vote and the board decisions will be based on what the people want,” she said.

Taking its name from Nelson and Albin townships that Godahl straddles, the Nelson and Albin Cooperative Mercantile Association was established in 1894. With bylaws written in Norwegian and shares available at $20, the association contracted with 10 men to construct the store opposite the Godahl creamery. Related Articles Greater Twin Cities United Way announces new changes to prevent racism

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In 1895 a warehouse was added to store hardware like nails and fencing, and the following year the main building was expanded with an addition wrapping around the north side and rear.

In 1905 the store installed one of the first telephones in the area, and later housed a branch of the Watonwan County Library.

The exterior was modified in 1916. The building’s false-front facade and small south addition were likely added at this time.