With 11 inches of snow and single-digit temperatures, Kilwins owners Carlleen and Brian Rose decided to keep their store open during a winter weather advisory as a place for community helpers to warm up with free hot drinks and fudge.
On Friday, Jan. 12, Carlleen posted on the Ask Big Rapids Facebook page alerting the town that Kilwins would stay open this past weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carlleen hoped Kilwins would be the go-to place for police officers, linemen and public and private community members who snow plow to “take a break.”
“I have always felt a big responsibility to our community,” Carlleen said. “And so, we try to be open when our community needs us. We live very close to our store, so we can walk to work. I’m not sure how many places are going to be open, and I thought we could provide a nice cozy place for them to come in.”
She wanted the store to be a spot for everyone out there who’s “trying to make things as safe as possible” for everyone else. As a community member and business owner, she feels that there’s a responsibility to do the best you can.
“[Big Rapids] has always been a close-knit community and everybody pitches in and does their part,” Carlleen said. “I just want to do something that lets them know that we really recognize and care what they do.”
Brian felt as though staying open was a “given” as he and Carleen wanted to be open for their customers and the community.
Since the couple is within walking distance from their store, they called off the rest of their staff to keep them safe and avoid any accidents when coming into work. She feels “blessed” that they could safely get to their store during this weather.
“It’s just me and my husband. We’re hanging out here like the team that we are…” Carlleen said. “We would never have our employees take a chance to come out in weather like this. The key thing for us is that we don’t have to worry about driving.”
Though only a couple of people needed it, according to Brian, staying open and giving away free hot drinks and fudge for those who help the community was easy.
“That was not a hard decision,” Brian said. “People that are out there doing their job maybe need a place to go if some places did decide to close today.”
Carlleen’s Facebook post received over 700 reactions and over 100 comments that thanked and praised them for staying open. As she went through responding to all comments, one stuck out to her in particular that made her “emotional.”
“You guys are the best stop in town,” Sara Affolder wrote. “I hope every child within walking distance comes to see you… I wonder if you guys ever knew how much we loved you then and now.”
Carlleen hopes that the community is respectful to all of the people out there “trying their best to make sure that everything is safe.” She feels lucky to have people who are willing to do that for their community because “it’s not all that easy.”