FORMER EMPLOYEE DEVELOPS BOOK TO CURATE THE HISTORY AND UNTOLD STORIES OF MENDON’S LEGENDARY TAVERN AND STAGECOACH INN

BY JODY LYNN GREER

point for travelers, those doing business in the area, and visitors of every variety, including a long list of live musical bands. e hotel was known for attracting patrons from all walks of life, and while the railroad has since gone away, the memories and stories of each visitor remain within the walls of e Cottage.

The Cottage Hotel of Mendon is a celebrated favorite among foodies and historians alike. However, most are more familiar with their menu or weekly events than the hotel’s historical signi cance within the area.

Located on Pittsford-Mendon Rd at the four corners of Mendon,thehotelwasoriginallybuiltasastagecoachinnaround 1822. e Cottage Hotel has seen a variety of owners since then, and each has le an imprint on this historical landmark. Guests and employees frequently claim to even have witnessed unexplained paranormal activity, a permanent reminder of the hotel’s days gone by.

One such former employee and University of Rochester graduate, Karen Mireau Rimmer, is so invested in studying the paranormal activity of the hotel, as well as its intriguing history, she is developing a book, e Cottage Hotel: e History and Untold Stories of Mendon Hamlet’s Legendary Tavern and Stagecoach Inn.

Mireau Rimmer worked at e Cottage during the daytime. Local cra speople and farmers would come in, sit around, and tell stories. is intrigued Mireau Rimmer, and she began to write down the stories because they were so interesting. She says, “I could hardly wait to get home and write all of their recollections down. at spurred my inspiration to write about it.”

Her goals in developing this collection of stories are to “give back to the Mendon community for all they gave me. ey nurtured me, they counseled me; it became very much like home. I feel like there’s a lot of people who feel like the cottage hotel has that same quality, even though they come from other states.” As the founder of Azalea Art Press, Mireau Rimmer specializes in memoir, poetry, visionary novels, and creative non ction.

For Mireau Rimmer, e Cottage le a lasting impression on her and she would like others to know about its heritage and contribution to the Mendon community and beyond. Years ago, the hotel played an integral role as it was centrally located to the railroad line, which meant the hotel was a popular destination

If there was one word to describe the hotel’s essence, it would be the bevador. Mireau Rimmer says “ ere’s an amazing cooler [at e Cottage] that has been there for y or sixty years called a bevador.” e bevador is a huge beer bottle-shaped refrigerator made by the Jewett Refrigerator Company in Bu alo, NY in the early 1950s. Mireau Rimmer explains, “Everyone I have talked to as I have been interviewing remembers the bevador. e bevador is the Cottage Hotel. Current owner, Hillary Stott, found someone who can repair it. ose are the kinds of things that Hilary and David Stott do that make people feel like it’s their place,” raves Mireau Rimmer.

Locals describe the atmosphere of the Cottage Hotel as reminiscent of the popular television show, Cheers, with its warm ambience and no shortage of friendly gab, but it’s so much more than just another restaurant in a local small town. With such a longstanding history within the hamlet of Mendon and the ability to evolve with modern times while still maintaining ties to its past is part of e Cottage’s unique charm.

Mireau Rimmer seeks your help. Do you have stories to share about e Cottage? If so, please reach out to Mireau Rimmer at cottagehotelstories@gmail.com. Let’s memorialize the legacy of this historic local landmark.

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Senior News

By Matilda Charles Shrink

ation: Beating em at

eir Own Game

“Shrink ation.” at’s a word that’s been in the news lately, and one that we need to pay attention to.

We know prices are increasing on our groceries. We see it every time we look at the price tags on the shelves when we shop, and certainly at the checkout. But shrink ation is a di erent thing and can be harder to spot. Shrink ation is sneaky price increases.

In shrink ation, the prices don’t go up, but what we get comes down. is is impacting most things across grocery stores, including dairy, shampoo, meats, frozen foods, toilet paper, pet food, pastries, candy bars, laundry detergent, sliced cheese, tea bags ... well, everything.

Example: e price of a can of beans stays the same, but we get fewer ounces. Example: e price of a loaf of bread stays the same, but it’s smaller. Same with cereal, which you’ll have noticed when the box sizes changed.

In my case, one particular item (frozen meatballs) at my local store dropped from 64 meatballs to 56 ... fewer for the same money.

Keep an eye on the unit pricing on the tag on the grocery store shelf. Yes, it’s in tiny print (which is one reason to carry a small magnifying glass at all times), but the numbers will tell you the unit price per uid ounce, pound or count. Over time you’ll be able to see if you’re getting less for your money.

Look at generics to save money (and, in many cases, get a better product) or just change brands. Buy more than one if the price is good, but watch the expiration dates.

Lastly, consider signing up for a store’s loyalty card if you get cash bene ts for doing so, and sign up for the emailed weekly sales yer to shop from.

By shopping carefully, we can beat them at their own game.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.