Hills open Rosalia’s Empire Foods

Just in time for this year’s motorcycle rally, a Spokane family has opened up a grocery store in Rosalia.

Garth and Song Hill opened up the renovated Empire Foods Monday, giving Rosalia a grocery store for the first time since the previous owners shut it down in November.

The Hills have stocked the store with a wide variety of groceries and fresh produce. Garth said they plan to eventually have a meat department, but will wait until the business builds itself up.

Garth Hill told the Gazette Tuesday that Rosalia residents had welcomed them with open arms.

“Everybody’s been very nice to us – just as you would expect in a small town,” he said.

“We’re sure happy to see the grocery store open,” said Mayor Ken Jacobs. “And I’m sure the town will support them. I think we all kind of learned what life is like without a store. And it’s not fun.”

Since Empire Foods closed in November, residents have had to trek at least ten miles to Oakesdale or Spangle for basics like bread and butter.

Residents came up with innovative ideas for luring in a potential shopkeeper, even going so far as to offer a free building, but could not attract an operator.

The Hills operated a grocery store in Spokane. Garth said they had thought about buying the Rosalia store when it was on the market a couple of years ago, but the asking price at the time was too much.

“Then some friends of ours saw it was back on the market. We saw it and saw the price was right, so we jumped at it,” said Garth.

Garth served 20 years in the United States Air Force before retiring. He and Song have two daughters.