Shur-Save to be under new ownership

After 42 years as a Trumansburg staple, Shur-Save is being sold from one family to another.

The local grocery store, founded in 1981 by Jim and Sandy Seafuse, has long been a fixture in the community, serving customers’ food and beverage needs. The family-owned market has also contributed to hundreds of local organizations.

“It’s nice to be in a small town. The public has always supported us back, as well. It’s been great to be in a place where you can support the community and they can support you. It’s a two-way street,” said owner Bret Seafuse, the son of Jim and Sandy. 

“We have always tried to help because that’s what small towns are about,” he added.

Bret has been running Shur-Save since his 20s, but he began working in the market when he was a young boy, as his parents purchased the grocery store when he was eight years old.

“The timing was just right for us,” Seafuse said of the decision to sell the market at 2085 NY-96 in Trumansburg.

Large corporations approached the market regarding the sale, but Seafuse felt it was important to keep the grocery store in the hands of a local owner who shared similar, small-town values.

“We are very happy to have found a local husband-and-wife team. They have lived locally here for a number of years,” Seafuse said of the new owners. 

He is pleased to see Shur-Save pass into the hands of another local family, with Ravi Meel confirmed as the principal owner.

He added that when it comes to running a business, he and Meel have similar values.

Meel is enthusiastic about the purchase. “We are excited to take over the store and carry on the longstanding traditions the Seafuse family have established, being a family-run, locally focused, community-oriented store,” he said. “We look forward to serving and working conjointly within the community and with our neighbors.”

While Seafuse looks forward to having more time on his hands after selling Shur-Save, he will be available during the ownership transition. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the month.

The longtime owner of Shur-Save is experiencing a whirlwind of emotions over the sale of the market, saying that he is excited and admittedly a little nervous. 

Regardless, Seafuse believes that what he and his family have built over the past 42 years will continue to be an integral part of the community. 

During his next chapter in life, Seafuse said he will remain in Trumansburg but looks forward to spending more time with family and friends. 

Specifically, he said he plans to take a much-anticipated vacation, travel the country in an RV and not work seven days a week. The demands of running a grocery store have meant working well over eight hours a day and for several years has prevented Seafuse from finding the time to enjoy a vacation.

Despite the sale of Shur-Save, Seafuse said that he will remain busy with his other entities, including Trumansburg Wine & Spirits. 

He said he is thankful for his employees, noting that the market has had hundreds of employees over the years. Seafuse shared that he is also grateful for the 42 years of customer support from the local community and says he will miss his relationships with his employees and customers.

“This is what I’ve been doing my entire life,” he said. “This meant the world to our family. I’m sure the community will continue to support a local, family-owned business.”

Trumansburg Connection appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or courtney.rehfeldt@gmail.com.

In brief:

Chocolate lovers’ menu 

The Inn at Taughannock Falls is hosting a chocolate menu on April 13, with a tasting menu dedicated to all things chocolate.  

It is a $75 per person prix fixe, and a deposit is required to hold the spot. Cocktail and wine menus are also available.

Reservations are available for seatings at 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

Seatings can be booked by calling (607) 387-7711 or on OpenTable.com. 

Volunteers needed for Trumansburg Creek

The Community Science Institute, which houses roughly a dozen stream-monitoring groups in the Cayuga Lake watershed, is looking for additional volunteers.

The volunteers collect data on chloride, bacteria and nutrient levels from streams that drain into Cayuga Lake. The Community Science Institute said it especially needs volunteers for Trumansburg Creek. 

Interested parties should email info@communityscience.org for more information.

The Village of Trumansburg and the Town of Ulysses honor Lydia Godfrey Sears

For Women’s History Month, the Village of Trumansburg and the Town of Ulysses are honoring the legacy of Lydia Godfrey Sears.

Community members are encouraged to learn about Sears’s life and accomplishments in a current exhibit at the Ulysses Philomathic Library, researched and designed by Vivien Rose.

On March 29 from 5-7 p.m., visitors to the exhibit will have a special opportunity to honor an important woman in their own lives. 

Ladies’ night at Searsburg Church

Searsburg Church is hosting a diamond-painting event Thursday, May 11, at 6 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the church.

Participants will enjoy an evening of diamond painting and will get a choice of a kit to take home. Additional diamond art kits and accessories will be available for purchase. 

The event costs $25 per person, and space is limited to 50 people. Attendees can pay by cash, check or credit card at the door.

Please RSVP by May 1 by calling Carla Hunt at (607) 351-1020 or emailing treefarm1@ottcmail.com.