R and R Townmart to open soon in Rudd

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

First the door swings open and then the question inquisitively rolls off the tongue.

Reed Brumm and Rick Willert have heard it countless times this month.

“Are you open?”

“Not yet,” says Brumm.

The town of Rudd will have its convenience store back, maybe as soon as this week or the next.

Brum and Willert, co-owners of R&R Townmart, have purchased the building and property on the corner of Chickasaw Avenue and County Highway T-26.

Residents of Rudd won’t have to worry about driving an extended distance to get a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread. It will be all on the shelves at R&R Townmart when it happens soon.

Brumm said he realizes a good business opportunity when he sees it. He owns his own trucking company in Rockford and the potential for success with the new convenience store is obviously there, he said. He also wanted to help the community.

“The town needed something,” said Brumm. “You have everybody from Rudd going elsewhere.”

It’s been more than two years since the town of 369 people in northwest Floyd County has had a convenience store where folks could grab a six-pack of beer or a fountain pop. The town has a bar and that’s about it, the co-owners both agreed.

Willert, who operates Willert Agri Sales Inc., has put in a lot of work alongside Brumm since purchasing the building and property in July. They have repainted the store, replaced all the ceiling tiles and also installed new lighting. The convenience store will not have a kitchen, but will offer gasoline, including diesel.

“We just want to have a nice clean place for people to come and shop,” said Willert, who, like Brumm, also farms in the area.

Willert said there is a lot of work involved in getting a convenience store up to speed, including lining up vendors, getting insurance, having health inspectors come in, doing soil tests to make sure the gasoline pumps aren’t leaking.

There’s a ton of paperwork, he said.

Brumm said, “Nobody wants it open sooner than we do.”

Willert and Brumm each have seen plenty of traffic drive by the location since they first started working on the building.

“You won’t believe the people that come in here from the north and head south to get to the Avenue,” said Willert, referring to the Avenue of the Saints highway.

Brumm agreed.

“It’s actually a busy little corner here,” Brumm said.

Willert said some work will continue after the business is open to the public, like new signage. Once the business gets going, Brumm and Willert will also have a better idea of what the store may offer and how they will cater to the customers’ wants and needs.

“It will be a slow startup once we get going and realize what the community wants as far as products in the place,” said Willert.

Brumm said they are still waiting on their cash register to arrive but all employees have been hired. Yvonne Herrmann will manage the store and there will be five part-time employees. The store will be open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. 

“Actually all the vendors are pretty much ready to put their stuff in,” Brumm said.

The good news is the lot is vacant no more.

“It sat here for two-and-half years,” said Brumm.