By Jim Bloch
Six months after Steve Fernandez delivered a public indictment of downtown Port Huron – “The downtown is not thriving… We’re dying.” – he and his wife Michelle abruptly announced the closing of their grocery store, County Style Market.
The store’s final day of business is Saturday, May 30.
The couple, who opened the store in 2022, made the announcement on their Facebook page May 28.
“An Important Notice to our Customers and Community,” read the post. “After careful consideration, (we) are announcing the closure of Country Style Market in downtown Port Huron effective 30 May 2026. We are deeply grateful for the Support, Loyalty, and most importantly the friendships we have developed over the years! Operating our stores in the Fort Gratiot Community as well as the Port Huron community has been both an honor and privilege!”
The couple closed their Fort Gratiot Township location in 2023.
“We especially want to thank our employees, partners, and loyal customers for being such a big part of our journey,” the pair said. “Your encouragement and support has meant everything to us! Please visit us before our final day to take advantage of remaining inventory and to say goodbye to the team.”
Fernandez, Greg Whitican, owner of Elite Feet and Elite Treats, and Susanne Kuhn, who owns the women’s clothing shop Suzanne’s, appeared in front of the city council Nov. 24 to counter the city administration’s portrait of downtown as a vibrant business district.
“We’re not thriving,” said Fernandez. “I’ve been in business on that corner for 3.9 years and I don’t know if I’m going to be in business next month. There is no thriving downtown. It’s dirty. It’s broke. There’s incredible blight over the downtown. I’ve counted a dozen streetlights in a four-block area that are burnt out.”
City Manager James Freed subsequently rebuked Fernandez for his remarks via text.
Fernandez read the text at the Dec. 8 meeting of the city council.
“Please rewatch your comments from last night,” Freed wrote. “Very disappointed in how nasty and negative you were toward downtown. Calling our downtown dying, blighted and ugly was very unfair… Your scorched earth rhetoric is not helpful, and it hurts other businesses.”
Fernandez said he had invested four million dollars of his own money and loans into that “dead corner,” which had been boarded up for seven years before he moved in.
“So, I think I have a right to speak up,” Fernandez said.
The Times Herald reported Dec. 19 that the 21,500 square foot building had been list for sale. The price was $2.694 million.
The store is offering most of its stock at a significant discount until its doors close for good Saturday.
“20% off groceries, deli, produce and Beer/Wine,” said the Facebook post. “The Meat department will not be included in the discount. They will still have their own “orange tag” markdowns as we wind down operations. Note: Cannot combine with any other discounts. Thank You, Steve and Michele/Owners Country Style Market.”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
