The Dublin General Store, known for its huge selection of beef jerky burned down Saturday morning.

Dublin, Michigan was known for two things. It was the boyhood home of actor James Earl Jones (Darth Vader in Star Wars) and it had the largest selection of beef jerky in Northern Michigan at the Dublin General Store. Only one of those things is true now.

The Dublin General Store burned to the ground early Saturday, and officials are reporting the store was a 'total loss'.

The store had been in operation in that location since 1936, and was one of those well known 'up north' stores that supplied campers and vacationers with just about everything.

“We’ve been coming here, just our immediate family, since ’72,” Rita Hortsman told 9&10 news.

“They had nuts and bolts and ammunition and they make their own bread and bakery, so we would come here for that,” she said.

“Even people vacationing, they know about it, so it’s just going to have a huge impact on the community and I think that’s the reason the owner wants to rebuild it,” Jim Wilson, who lives in Hudsonville said.

Dublin Jerky, an off shoot of the General Store, also has a West Michigan location at 44th and Ivanrest. So those who crave the great jerky choices still have an outlet.

The store owners posted on Facebook that they plan to rebuild at that location.

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