VOORHEESVILLE — It’s now final. Smith’s Tavern is being bought by Stewart’s Shops.

“Stewart’s has exercised its option to purchase,” said Jon McClelland, one of the two owners of the village’s iconic tavern; the other is John Mellen. “A year ago,” said McClelland, “we signed an agreement that they had the first option...They decided last Friday to exercise their option.”

The closing, he said, would be within 30 days. “It’s just a formality,” he added.

Stewart’s Shops plans to build a convenience store and gas station at the site, which is next to a Mobil station with a store. The tavern property at 112 Maple Ave. is zoned commercial but a special-use permit is required to allow for gas pumps and gasoline storage. A packed public hearing on April 11 showed that villagers were divided on whether the planning commission should grant the permit.

Asked by The Enterprise why Stewart’s exercised its option now, Chuck Marshall, who works in real estate development for Stewart’s, said, “It was a contractual obligation; it was the time frame.” Neither side has disclosed the purchase price.

Asked what would happen if Stewart’s did not get the required permit, Marshall said, “We’ve never encountered that, so we don’t have a plan.”

The Stewart’s chain, founded in 1945, now has over 300 locations.

Marshall added, “There’s certainly value in the property; it has a number of permitted uses.”

At the public hearing, Marshall had described the proposed shop as a 3,675-square-foot building faced with stone veneer with “three dispensers with six fueling stations” in front.

Marshall told The Enterprise earlier that he had made an offer to the company that owns the Mobil station, referencing Sunoco L.P. “Nothing’s come of it; they’re not interested in selling,” he said. At the hearing, Safder Ali, who runs the Mobil station, described his as a “small family-operated business.” He said he monthly sold an average of 80,000 gallons of gasoline and asked, “How would they divide the business?”

The planning commission has 62 days from the date of the hearing to decide whether or not to grant the permit. Referring to the commission’s June 13 meeting, Marshall said, “That’s the drop-dead date. We’re obviously hopeful Stewart’s will be able to open soon.”

In the meantime, McClelland said he and his partner are looking forward to retirement.

“It is an absolute, incredible relief,” said McClelland of the sale going through. Over the past year, he said, “I’ve been to so many meetings. It’s stressful. Friends are for you. Friends are against you...I’ve learned a lot about small-town politics, the different factions.”

Many people stop him on the street or as he is out doing errands, McClelland said. “They say, “Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. They say we deserve to retire, and then they go to the next meeting and voice concerns against Stewart’s.”

Those concerns have included increased traffic and noise, worry about pollution of the Vly Creek that runs behind the property, increased flooding, and loss of a community gathering place and a sense of history.

Voorheesville is now in the process of developing a comprehensive land-use plan, spurred partly by the controversy over Stewart’s. “It would have been nice if we had it before making this decision,” Georgia Gray, chairwoman of the planning commission, said after the public hearing. But she added, “There is a lot of direction already in the zoning law.”

Smith’s Tavern was started in 1945 and became famous for making pizzas in the late 1950s. “John and I thought we’d be around for the two-millionth pizza,” said McClelland. McClelland and Mellen bought the business in 1991.

When McClelland left his work as a certified public accountant and when Mellen left his job in sales, they thought they’d have more free time; it turned out, they had far less, said McClelland.

Asked about his plans for the future, McClelland said, “Not to go to Smith’s Tavern to go to work.” He said he and his wife, once she retires from teaching, “will do some traveling.” And, he said, “I want to get back on the golf course.”

Most importantly, McClelland said, “I want to spend more time with my grandkids. Being in this business has been tough,” he said.

Various regulars are planning their final meals at Smitty’s, he said. For instance, a group of local poets who regularly met at the tavern and held an annual Voorheesville Poet Laureate competition there, have scheduled their final get-together. “I guess they’ll write a poem,” said McClelland.

He is expecting a big crowd on Friday, May 26, as that will be the last late night for Smitty’s. On Saturday, May 27, the day of the village’s Memorial Day parade, the tavern will close early before the fireworks.

“We’ll spend that Sunday and the next week cleaning out so Stewart’s can close and have it empty,” said McClelland.

He may hold an auction to sell some of the restaurant’s trappings. Smitty’s was famous for the toy trains that ran on tracks around the dining room, raised high above the diners. “We have lots of trains,” said McClelland, “and people have expressed interest in memorabilia.”

Customers have noted their attachment to everything from bar stools to old pictures from the 1940s and ’50s, he said.

“I placed my final order of Smitty’s hats today,” said McClelland on Tuesday. He thinks the ball caps will sell well as the date for the restaurant’s closure approaches.

“There’s tons of memories,” he said, “and tons of emotions.”