Marilla may be a small town in Western New York, but the Country Store has a big history. It has never closed its door in 170 years.

"I’ve been coming to the store since I was a little girl for penny candy. I worked here as a teenager when my parents owned it. As Paul and I established ourselves in the community after we got married, we decided we wanted to take it on," says Sandy Grunzweig, Marilla Country Store owner.

On Saturday, the Marilla Country Store celebrated its 170th anniversary. The store has stayed standing through eight global pandemics, over 100 wars and even an attempted robbery.

"The store also survives because it’s sort of the antidote to online. Everything’s about doing it fast and when you’re sitting alone at your computer. This is about the experience of coming to the store and hearing the floor creak," explains Grunzweig.

Remembering its history is one of the things that the store does best, complete with its own museum.

"People enjoy coming to the museum. Every time, they see something different. I think our famous robbery story…in 1917, we had robbers who attempted to dynamite open the safe. I think that folktale is shared over and over again. It keeps people interested in the store and engaged in the store’s history," adds Grunzweig.

Looking into the past reminds everyone that Marilla has and can continue to survive the test of time.