Jesica McNabb and her husband Mike, his father Mike McNabb and Jesica’s sister-in-law Nancy Freeborn bought the store and gas station on the corner of Dawson Road and Mapleward Road and reopened it as Dawson General Store on Feb 18, 2021.
“As COVID went on, people are looking for businesses that are going to have staying power, allowed to be operational, allowed to bring something into the community,” explains Jesica.
They have “everything you’d expect from an old fashioned general store,” she says. Other than gas pumps, there are basic groceries and some hardware, but Dawson General Store’s specialty is the wide variety of locally-produced food available.
While many businesses, particularly in the food industry, have had to scale back their operations or close down since the pandemic started, one, Pinetree Catering, stands out - the local company opened a new location on Dec. 8, 2020.
Nomad on Bay Street took over the location where Scandinavian Deli used to be. There is already a Nomad at the airport, but that location has been quiet since the pandemic curtailed travel.
“We wanted to open before the Christmas rush,” co-owner Shawna Deagle explains. “It’s a busy time of year, with people looking for Christmas gifts and sending meals to families.”