Judy Stern, owner of  Stern’s Quality Produce in White River Junction, Vt., closes the door on Dec. 7, 2018, in White River Junction, Vt. Stern with her husband Keith will be retiring later this month. (Valley News - Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Judy Stern, owner of Stern’s Quality Produce in White River Junction, Vt., closes the door on Dec. 7, 2018, in White River Junction, Vt. Stern with her husband Keith will be retiring later this month. (Valley News - Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Credit: Jennifer Hauck


WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Stern’s Quality Produce, the popular fruit and vegetable store that closed at the end of 2018, will re-open under new ownership later this spring.

Members of the Metivier family, who also run Steve’s Bait Shop in North Hartland, are taking over the store.

Amanda and Jill Metivier, a daughter and mother, said on Facebook on Thursday that they hope to reopen the store in downtown White River Junction by around May 1.

“We are thrilled to announce that Keith and Judy Stern have passed the torch to our family and Sterns will be reopening for business! We are thankful Keith is staying on as the produce buyer and our mentor, so we will continue to offer the same quality produce, value and selection,” they wrote.

Jill Metivier told the Valley News the family will also continue to operate the bait shop in North Hartland.

Stern’s closed late last year after Judy Stern, the store manager who was in her early 70s, said she needed a knee replacement and that it was time “to put my feet up and relax” after 33 years running the produce store, which required heavy physical labor.