A piece of Rio Verde history fell to the blade and claw of demolition equipment last Friday as the Village Green was laid waste.

Since the early days of development the Village Green housed the community’s only convenience market as well as a hair salon and the business office for Rio Verde Landscaping.

As early as 1975 it was a life line for residents living 10 miles or more from the nearest market. Over the years as access improved and Fountain Hills and the Pinnacle Peak areas grew it has become much easier to reach a super market or gas station.

George King was the first manager of the store followed by Bill Hansen. Hansen was the “go-to” for jobs in the Verdes doing everything from delivering newspapers and groceries to managing the early clubhouse operations.

For more than 25 years Kipp and Patsy Johnson and their family operated the store offering everything from dry cleaning drop off and pick-up to video rental.

During the development heyday for the Verde Communities the market thrived on business from the numerous construction workers that came to town.

As the construction work slowed, so did the store’s everyday business clients and it eventually reached the point where it could no longer survive. The store closed in 2013.

The landscape office has relocated to the Alexander Homes office complex on Forest Road. The hair salon operator has retired and closed up shop.

The Rio Verde Community Association is working on long-range planning for the site, with no specific plan established at this time. On an interim basis the area may be landscaped similarly to the location of the old real estate office/bank building that stood across Danny Lane from the Village Green.