McHenry County Blog

I call it the “Little Store,” but the name above the door reads, “General Store.”

It’s located in Crystal Lake on North Avenue kitty-cornered across from the Lakewood Village Hall.

It seems like it has been closed for re-modeling forever...well over a year, maybe, going on two years.

Maybe longer.

Most convenience stores are not well known.

They don't have character.

McHenry County folks will remember this one from its former proprietor, Naoki Kamijima, murdered by a Coventry subdivision man who went to more than one convenience store looking for an oriental to kill.

Naoki was from Japan with the outgoing friendliness unequaled for such a convenience store.

When I first met him, he managed the gas station and convenience store next to the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce building.

He decided to expand by adding the Little Store on the West end of Crystal Lake.

Then, he lost the gas station opportunity and poured himself his “supplemental” opportunity.

After he was killed, the Crystal Lake Park District named to little park across the street from his store after him.

Naoki’s wife operated the store for a while after his death, which must have been emotionally very difficult, but finally closed its operation.

As I was wondering around taking pictures of an unfrozen Crystal Lake, I saw workmen and decided to stop over to see how much progress had been made.

On the left as one enters is a brand new deli.

It couldn’t be more modern.

I asked for a tour and was shown the grocery section off to the right, which looks least changed.

The refrigerated units are all new, however.

The behind the scenes changes have to be the most striking (although I never saw what was there before).

Behind the deli is a completely new kitchen, completely up to Crystal Lake’s and the McHenry County Department of Public Health’s most recent requirements.

Under the stairs to the upstairs living quarters is a reverse osmosis water purifying system. What a great use of what would usually be wasted space.

So, if you don’t think Crystal Lake’s water is always up to snuff (we’re on a private well), the County Store is the place to go.

Behind the back display cases just to the right of the entrance are more sinks.

For store clean-up, I suppose.

And, I won’t tell you how many security cameras there are.

Just know that the actions of any future crook will be fully recorded.

They're everywhere.

I can’t wait for it to open.

It is such a pain to have to drive to gas station a mile away on Route 14 to buy what we’ve forgotten at Jewel.