Craig and Kristin Jordan, owners of Jordan's Ice Creamery, buy Gilford Village Store

GILFORD — The Gilford Village Store has new owners. As of April 12, Craig and Kristin Jordan, owners of Jordan’s Ice Creamery in Belmont, are now responsible for both businesses. Craig and Kristin live in Gilford, and after learning the store was going up for sale, they were eager to throw their hat in the ring.

“I think we're both wanting it to not lose all that its gained, in terms of being this magical hub in town,” Kristin said. “We just felt like you know, we're both foodies, we love to travel, we love to dine out, we love to entertain people. And we always talked about someday maybe when our kids are older, possibly owning a restaurant together. So when this was up for sale, we felt like this just seemed like a perfect opportunity to be part of something really special in Gilford.”

With the purchase, customers will see some small changes at the Gilford Village Store. While the food menu will stay pretty much the same, a big change is the addition of serving Jordan’s Ice Cream.

“The ice cream place will definitely not be serving food. We're going to kind of keep the ice cream place doing what it does best, which is making and selling ice cream,” Craig said. “As far as the store is concerned, we've already brought in some Jordan’s Ice Cream, and then as time goes on, we are planning on putting in like an ice cream window outside and allowing people to get the cones and cups of ice cream and stuff like that.”

Another change is that starting Monday, May 6, the Gilford Village Store will have increased hours. Current hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. The Jordans hope that by the beginning of May, the store will be open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Kristin is not only one of the new owners of the Gilford Village Store, but she is also the director of hospice at Granite VNA, and currently studying to be a nurse practitioner. But she says she’s ready to take on this new responsibility, despite her busy schedule.

“I feel like in nursing and then working here at the store, it uses two different sides of my brain. I love it,” she said. “Both roles are very fulfilling in very different ways.”

One point of pride is that the store will stay in local hands. While Kristin moved to Gilford in 2014, her husband Craig was born and raised in the village. After starting a family in Gilford, they wanted to see the Village Store continue to succeed and grow after providing for the village for almost two centuries.

“I grew up in Gilford, so I came here as a kid. I remember walking over from the fields, you know, in between or after sporting events and getting snacks and all that stuff. And it's not the same as it was back then,” Craig said. “But the one thing that it is still is it's just kind of an iconic landmark here in Gilford. So that was part of the appeal as well as the fact that we are from Gilford. We wanted to see it stay in local hands.”