Buried but not broken

NEW LONDON - For Matt and Felicia Larsen, the silence following Blizzard Elsa was louder than the storm itself. It was the sight of a collapsed roof and the potential end of a dream.
“I honestly thought this was the last one,” Matt recalled, after looking at the twisted metal of the storage facility that housed the lifeblood of FML Discount Grocery.
The blizzard that dropped 26.6-inches of snow in the area on March 15-16, took down the roofs of two storage units behind their house.
As the snow began to melt, something else started to rise in New London: a community that refused to let its neighborhood grocer disappear.

The Backbone of the Kitchen Table

FML Discount Grocery isn’t your typical retail chain. Established just over two years ago, the business was born out of a simple, pressing need: food affordability.
In an era of skyrocketing inflation, Matt and Felicia transformed an unconventional space at 517 North Shawano Street (shared with Mid-State Asphalt) into a lifeline for local families.
The store specializes in bulk items and discounted name brands that help residents stretch a paycheck without sacrificing a square meal.
For many in New London, the Larsens provide the raw ingredients for creative home cooking and essential supplies for the region’s active hunting and fishing community.
As Matt notes, the business only found its footing once they connected with the community through social media, turning a struggling startup into a neighborhood staple.

The Weight of the Storm
That stability was buried under the record-breaking weight of Elsa. The power of the blizzard centered on the storage units behind the Larsens’ home, facilities that Matt describes as the “livelihood” of the entire operation.
Without those units to house their inventory, the shelves at FML would sit empty.
“That’s our main source of income basically sitting in that shed,” Matt said, recalling the moment he saw the twisted metal. Initially, the damage seemed total.
The Larsens even discussed closing their doors for good, overwhelmed by the cost of rebuilding in a town where commercial rents can often be prohibitive for small family ventures.

The Breadstick Buffer
Amidst the wreckage there was a small, almost bizarre stroke of luck. A large shipment of breadsticks, intended for use as bait by local bear hunters, had been stacked along the unit’s interior wall.
When the roof gave way, those heavy skids acted as accidental structural supports, bearing the brunt of the snow’s weight and preventing the total destruction of the inventory beneath.
It was the first sign that FML might have a fighting chance.
Since then, that chance has been bolstered by a wave of local support that has left the Larsens “shocked” and deeply grateful. From a GoFundMe campaign to neighbors offering semi-trailers for temporary storage, New London has made it clear: they aren’t ready to let the “yellow flag” stop flying.

Felicia Larsen’s work within Facebook two years ago in their new location at 517 N. Shawano Street next to Mid State Asphalt and Automotive helped the business grow from barely sustaining itself to actually turning a profit and start expanding.
“Expanded foot traffic allowed us to start a small kitty for future improvements. But that all changed with the roof collapse at our storage units,” she said.
The yellow flag is symbolic for residents and older clientele not connected to digital media, the yellow flag flies out front when they’re open and stocked for customers.
“When we’re open the yellow flag is out no matter what,” she said.

Rental barriers

The couple talked about the real estate barrier. Three years ago, they looked at commercial real estate properties for rent in New London with prices ranging from $11K to $32K per month and had their bubble busted. Those are “big city” prices in a small town, and it’s not practical for a start-up like what the Larsens were looking to do.
Then, Cory Prinsen of Mid-State reached out to them via email and offered them the storefront space they currently have at an affordable price. “We would not have this place if it wasn’t for Corey,” said Matt. “We are grateful for him and for everybody else now reaching out to us.”
While the damage to the storage units will take time and capital to repair, the Larsens are already looking toward a “new normal.”

Next steps
The couple is planning a transition to a “bin store” model in the coming weeks to help generate the necessary funds for a permanent rebuild. This shift will allow them to introduce a variety of new products they haven’t been able to offer before, further expanding their role as a one-stop shop for household essentials.

The road to recovery is long, but the Larsens no longer feel they are walking it alone. “Our community rallies around us, and they’re grateful that we’re here,” Felicia said, noting that the outreach from neighbors has turned a moment of despair into a renewed commitment to the town.
For the residents of New London, the sights and sounds of reconstruction will be a welcome change from the silence after the storm.
In addition, for those driving down Shawano Street, the mission remains the same: as long as that yellow flag is flying, the Larsens are open, stocked, and ready to serve the community that refused to let them go.

How You Can Help
To support the rebuild of FML Discount Grocery facilities, a GoFundMe page has been established titled “Support FML Grocery after Snowstorm Damage”. As of Monday evening, the community has already raised over $4,600 toward the $7,500 goal to help the Larsens replace their collapsed storage. For the latest updates on the “bin store” transition, new product arrivals, and current hours, follow the FML Discount Grocery page on Facebook.