The future of the Wrightstown Country Store may be coming into focus.
The former deli/convenience store, a Wrightstown institution known for its delicious sandwiches and affordable coffee, closed in January 2020.
Now, new owner Eric Kretschman, who closed on the property this year, has plans to bring the much-loved store back with some additional offerings.
The Wrightstown Board of Supervisors heard elements of Kretschman’s conceptual plan at their Dec. 13 meeting.
According to the discussion, Kretschman wants to convert the main building, which had included the country store, generator sales and an apartment, into a single-use country store that would include the sale of prepared foods, produce and other food items, officials said. Some outdoor seating is proposed.
Kretschman also wants to convert the stand-alone house on the property into a flower shop and convert a garage into a greenhouse to support the flower shop.
“He has also proposed additional patron parking, but would need zoning hearing board relief because 35 spaces are required by ordinance given the square foot usage,” said Supervisor Chairman Chester Pogonowski, who noted that all buildings on the property are currently vacant.
Pogonowski added: “He would also need zoning hearing board relief for impervious surface and residential conversion of two dwellings and the garage into retail space. He may need relief on setbacks for the garage/greenhouse conversion because the building became unstable and was blown down by recent winds. A building that is more than 51% destroyed must be rebuilt to today’s zoning requirements, hence the variance.”
It’s possible the plan could be amended following consultation between Kretschman and the professionals he has working on the project.
Pogonowski noted that the Dec. 13 discussion centered on a concept plan and that if Kretschman plans to proceed with the proposal, then a more detailed formal plan would need to be developed for review and presented to the board of supervisors prior to going to the zoning hearing board for relief.
“Generally, the board supported the improvements proposed for the property,” Pogonowski said, “although the devil is in the details, which have not yet been presented.”
Bobbie Pringle and her husband, Tom, owned the Wrightstown Country Store for some 34 years. In their 70s and with health issues a concern, the couple closed the operation last year and put it and the site it sits on up for sale.
The store is situated at 557 Durham Road (Route 413) in Wrightstown – at the intersection with Penns Park Road. It’s on one of the primary north-south connector roads in Bucks County, and was a popular spot for locals and commuters alike.
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