As the only grocery store in the town of Geddes, SD, owners Jill & Bob Dyk, had a goal to provide local community members, as well as visitors to the area, with a place to buy grocery items, food and supplies for campers and hunters, general service items, and a place to grab a hot cup of coffee.  As any business  owner knows, you need to maintain your  infrastructure.

USDA Rural Development supports infrastructure through it’s energy programs. The Geddes Grocery Store  illustrates this through the utilization of a USDA Rural Energy For America Program (REAP) grant .  The funding assisted the store with the replacement of an antiquated heating system with a new energy efficient model.  In addition, overhead fluorescent lighting was replaced with energy efficient LED lights and insulation was added to the building walls and ceilings.  The project will save the equivalent of 350,000 BTU’s annually which is enough to power 32 homes. 

The Geddes area is well known for its hunting, fishing, and camping attractions. The store also carries bait and tackle to accommodate the fisherman.  In addition, the store is benefitting the elderly population in the area to allow them to be more independent. The Dyk’s want to accommodate the local and visiting customers.  Therefore, the store is open six days a week and they maintain longer hours during the summer to accommodate customers. 

Federal funding of $19,763 was leveraged with a GOED microloan  and other funding of $59,292 for a total project cost of $79,055.