Blue River rebuilds, but its general store is still in limbo

The community of Blue River was devastated by the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire . A lot of work has been done to bring back essentials, including a fire station, post office, medical clinic and library.

But, five years later, the town’s only store is still not open.

Melanie Stanley was hoping to have her store open in time for the five year anniversary of the fire. She said they’re a little over halfway rebuilt, but they’ve had some challenges with permits and funding. She described the Meyer's General Store as a hub for Blue River area residents.

“It’s always been the store that was the community gathering spot. We’ve always had a bench out front,” she said. “We’ve always had people kinda milling around.”

1 of 4 — GeneralStore_before.jpg Meyer's General Store before the 2020 Holid