NORTH NORWICH – When Chris and Wendy Dowdall first opened the doors of Dowdall’s General Store on West Cayuga Street in North Norwich – where traffic is light and only locals seem to pass through – they weren’t sure what to expect.

Now approaching the end of its first year in business, the little store has proven to be a valuable asset to residents of the small North Norwich community, who now have quick access to daily essentials, along with 25 local food products including cheese, yogurt, beef, pork, honey, eggs – even locally made soaps, salsas, and meat marinades.

In addition to the basic essentials stocked daily, store shelves are also filled with handmade toys and other various hand crafted items. According to her, the store does what it can to support the tight-knit community, operating under the motto ‘buy local, support a neighbor and eat well.’

The store’s been a perfect fit in a town where the hustle and bustle of the adjacent Route 12 highway slows down.