NORWICH — Dan Fraser, whose warm smile, bright shirts and colorful shoes are familiar to customers of Dan & Whit’s General Store in Norwich, has stepped down from running the family-owned store, his father, George Fraser, confirmed to the Valley News on Tuesday afternoon.

Fraser, 54, resigned for “health and wellness” reasons George Fraser said. His last day was Aug. 8.

Dan Fraser could not immediately be reached for comment.

A new manager has not yet been named, but George Fraser and Dan’s brother remain involved in the business, George Fraser said.

Still, the resignation of Dan Fraser, a daily presence at Dan & Whit’s, raises obvious questions about the future of the store, which has been in the family for three generations and is a landmark in the Upper Valley. Bumper stickers bearing the store’s motto, “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it,” are ubiquitous on vehicles in the area.

“We’re still working on a transition period and trying to find other people,” George Fraser said.

He said the “plan is to keep it operational.”

“We have a lot of homework to do,” he said, declining to elaborate. “I think I will leave it at that.”

Dan & Whit’s, which often has been a first employer for generations of Upper Valley teenagers, struggled to find employees during the pandemic, which Dan Fraser said nearly forced him to consider closing the store before community members rallied to lend a helping hand and donate their salaries to charity.

Dan Fraser is vice chairman of the Hartford Selectboard. On Tuesday, Michael Hoyt, the board’s chairman, said Fraser has not given any indication he planned to resign his elected position.

Contact John Lippman at jlippman@vnews.com.