All three Murdick’s Fudge stores on the Island are officially closed, Kristi Graham, spokesperson for the Michigan-based company, told The Times Friday. Two of the three stores — in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs — have already been cleaned out. The V.H. store hasn’t been cleared out yet. Graham said she wasn’t sure whether or not the buildings will be put up for sale, or if they are leased.
The stores, which operated seasonally, were closed all summer because the manager of the Island stores was involved in an accident and injured; the plan was to reopen them by the end of the summer.
Graham said, however, that the hard decision was made to close the stores after the manager’s recovery didn’t go as expected.
Murdick’s Fudge, which has been around since 1887, remains open elsewhere. The company is based in Mackinac Island in Michigan, and has several locations there. Fudge and other Murdick’s products remained available online throughout the past summer season, and the company remains open; only the Island stores are closed.
Bob Benser, manager of the Island stores, who Graham said was very “hands-on” and knew every employee’s name, couldn’t be reached by phone Friday.
What an incredibly sad story. Murdick’s has been part of the fabric of the Island for nearly half a century, and it is difficult to imagine these three downtown locations without it.
I certainly wish the owners well with whatever they ultimately decide to do with these extraordinary properties. But more than anything, my thoughts are with Mike McCourt. Mike was such a familiar and important presence at Murdick’s for decades, and I have been concerned about him ever since learning of his injury.
When the Vineyard Gazette wrote about Murdick’s closing after Mike’s accident in August, WandaJean was kind enough to respond to a comment of mine and shared that Mike was in rehab and working very hard at his recovery. I have continued to wonder how he is doing and sincerely hope he is continuing to make progress. If the family ever feels comfortable sharing an update, I know many people on the Island would be very glad to hear it.
Buildings can be sold or leased and businesses can change, but people like Mike are what made Murdick’s such an Island institution.