The Sagaponack General Store, a trading post in the 1870s full of grain and overalls for farmers, and more recently brimming with sand toys, snacks, and the smell of brewing coffee, is on the move.
The historic gathering spot, also home to the village’s post office, has been lifted using hydraulic jacks and this week is set to slowly slide on soap-slicked steel I-beams toward its eventual resting place, 15 feet farther away from Sagg Main Street.
“When we get it over to where it belongs, we’re going to build a new foundation and floor system under it, and then lower it,” Nick Zappola, the general contractor for the project, said by phone earlier this month.
“Moving the structure back will make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and allow us to bring back the historic porch,” said Mindy Gray, who purchased the building in 2021, fearing its history would be erased. After the construction on the Frank Greenwald-designed structure is complete, it will also, for the first time, be fire-safe and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Ms. Gray, the co-founder of the Gray Foundation, has owned a house in Sagaponack for over 20 years with her husband Jonathan Gray, president of the Blackstone Group, and has reared four children there.
The general store “was the first place they were able to walk to alone. It holds a very special place in our family and is central to the experience of living in Sagaponack,” Ms. Gray said by phone. She recalled growing up in Philadelphia, a short drive away from Amish country, and visiting flea markets with her father, who recently died. That instilled in her an interest in metals and antiques that she has brought to bear on this project.
“I thought, what if we could transform this place back to what it looked like in 1878?”
Before that could begin, there was the issue of the post office. “It was very important getting them a temporary space, so they could continue to operate while we renovated the store,” said Ms. Gray. In late November, the post office opened its temporary location in a trailer on Hedges Lane. “Nick did the impossible and created the Rolls-Royce of trailers,” she said.
“We feel appreciative of the vision they have for the renovation of the community’s much cherished historic center,” Sagaponack Village Mayor Bill Tillotson said in a text.
In 1878, Thaddeus Edwards was the first postmaster of the Sagaponack Post Office. He was followed by Ernest Loper and John Chamberlain, before various members of the Hildreth family enjoyed an over-70-year run in the position. Residents of Sagaponack do not have home mail delivery, and so visits to the post office are integral, making it the de facto community center.
Part of its charm was the presence of over 600 brass post boxes, opened with a combination lock, and adored by residents. A status symbol akin to having, say, a 212 area code or a 324 exchange, they’re far more desirable than the standard aluminum fare.
Eating at the American Hotel one night, Mr. Zappola was approached by a resident holding up a picture of her beloved box. “Make sure I get this back,” she said to him.
“I remember 22 years ago when I went to get my box there,” said Michelle Del Giorno, a brass-box holder. “My friend said, ‘A P.O. box in Sagaponack? That’s like hitting the lottery!’ I was told they’re difficult to maintain, but man they really are a very special little thing.”
“I don’t know if it’s the boxes or the people operating the boxes, and the old-timers who walk through the doors that make the place special,” said Shelley Suh, who also had one of the historic boxes. “My connection is more to the postmaster. I sort of get my kicks and I learn a lot about certain things and people while going there.”
“The type of P.O. boxes to be installed has not been decided yet,” a spokesperson for the United States Postal Service, which is in possession of the 600 historic boxes that were removed from the structure during the renovation, said in a statement. “We appreciate the patience of our Sagaponack Post Office customers while the building is being renovated.” The Postal Service would not approve an interview with Karen Bennett, the current postmaster.
So, while Ms. Gray has no control over what happens to the old boxes, she has sourced and secured 200 more, so that when the post office reopens, hopefully by the end of next summer, there are enough for every resident.
“We hope we can get those back in there,” said David Currie, the project manager. He described a multistate quest to source the extras that were “scavenged from other closing post offices. There’s a big secondhand market for these things. A lot of them are made into piggy banks by hobbyists.”
“The local postmaster has been extraordinary and is deeply committed to Sagaponack,” said Ms. Gray. “I’m hopeful we can show them how they use the old boxes and satisfy their requirements while maintaining the beauty and history of the place. The vision has always been maintaining and restoring the history instead of wiping it away. The boxes are part of that.”
Ms. Gray has also spent time at auctions, gathering period-appropriate furniture, even ice boxes, so that when people walk into the store, it will almost be like stepping into the year 1878, minus the farmer overalls. “We want to rely on local supplies as much as possible, local farmers will supply fruits and vegetables, and a large back window will provide views to the reserve to the south.” Sandwiches, cold cuts, pantry items, and Sagaponack swag will round out the offerings.
“We’re getting the building ready for the next 150 years,” said Mr. Currie.
There will be no formal seating, inside or out, but Ms. Gray said, “We hope to maintain the benches out front. I see people picking up their mail and sipping coffee while they sort through it. We’re looking to create a gathering moment after Covid wiped out so many. This project can help restore that.”
