New owners at former Terni’s hope to become Main St. staple

New owners at former Terni’s hope to become Main St. staple

Terni’s General Store, located at 42 Main St., was founded in 1919 by Leopoldo “Paul” Terni. The location now is the site of the Dutchess Trading Co.

File photo

MILLERTON — On Thursday, July 4, The Dutchess Trading Co. hosted a soft opening in the former Terni’s General Store.

“We had the full range of reactions, people saying ‘Oh, I love the store,’ not knowing the story, and people who were almost emotional and crying,” said Jason Jobson, one of The Dutchess Trading Co. partners.

The new business has three partners: Jason Jobson, Christophe Pourny, and Richard Lambertson, all residents of Sharon. They have been working together for two years to prepare the building for the community.

“There was a lot to do,” Jobson said. “We had to rebuild the foundation and do a lot of structural stuff. We bought the building two years ago and it’s been a labor of love.”

Terni’s General Store was founded in 1919 by Leopoldo “Paul” Terni. Paul suddenly passed away in 1927, and his wife, Assunta, took over the store with their two sons, Arthur and Stephen. The business remained in the family with Arthur’s son, Phil, taking over in 1971 and worked until he retired in 2020, later passing away in March.

“We love the building,” Jobson said. “Christophe and I are antique restorers in New York City. That is really why we fell in love with the building.”

The three partners have been considering the building’s history when renovating and restoring what was found inside. Jobson said that some people were worried that they may “gut the place” and modernize it.

“We tried to keep as much as we could,” Jobson said. “We took many layers of paint off one of the rooms but kept the floorboards and really tried to keep the spirit of what it felt like in there and honor the legacy of what it was.”

Above the store is a seven-bedroom home that has not been renovated yet, where the Terni family lived. Jobson said that the space has a lot of potential and is looking into options to support the community.

“We’d love to eventually see it as a part of the community, maybe like a doctor’s office or something that the town would need, and we could provide that for them,” Jobson said.

The Dutchess Trading Co. sells homemade tonics and waxes alongside a selection of household goods. The store is open Friday through Monday, but the partners hope to expand its hours to be involved with the community every day of the week.

“Hopefully we will become a staple here,” Jobson said. “Hopefully people will talk about us like they did for Terni’s.”

Latest News

James Cookingham

MILLERTON — James (Jimmy) Cookingham, 51, a lifelong local resident, passed away on Jan. 19, 2026.

James was born on April 17, 1972 in Sharon, the son of Robert Cookingham and the late Joanne Cookingham.

Keep ReadingShow less
Herbert Raymond Franson

SALISBURY — Herbert Raymond Franson, 94, passed away on Jan. 18, 2026. He was the loving husband of Evelyn Hansen Franson. Better known as Ray, within his family, and Herb elsewhere.

He was born on Feb. 11, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York.

Keep ReadingShow less
Moses A. Maillet, Sr.

AMENIA — Moses A. “Tony” Maillet, Sr., 78, a longtime resident of Amenia, New York, passed away on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. Tony owned and operated T & M Lawn and Landscaping in Amenia.

Born on March 9, 1947, in St. Alphonse de Clare, Nova Scotia, he was the son of the late Leonard and Cora (Poirier) Maillet. Tony proudly served in the US Army during Vietnam as a heavy equipment operator. On May 12, 1996, in Amenia, he married Mary C. Carberry who survives at home.

Keep ReadingShow less
George Martin Fischer

WINDHAM — George Martin Fischer, 70, of Windham, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on Jan. 15, 2026.

George was born in Velbert, Germany, to Elisabeth and Franz Fischer, and later grew up in New Jersey, the eldest of three brothers. He attended college in New York City before returning home to learn the mason’s craft under his father’s guidance. That early training became the foundation of a life defined by skill, integrity, and pride in building things that last. George went on to own his own masonry company before transitioning into corporate sales in the commercial brick industry. In that role, he worked closely with architects and builders, helping construct iconic buildings across cities throughout the Northeast—landmarks he would often point out during family travels.

Keep ReadingShow less