Old-time general store is damaged by SUV The Clifton General Store has stood as a pillar for more than eight decades, a quaint slice of life in a locale that has resisted the development booms that exploded elsewhere across Fairfax County. That pillar nearly toppled just after 8 p.m. Wednesday night, when a runaway SUV crossed the town's railroad tracks and slammed into the store. Fairfax County fire officials responded to the scene on Clifton's Main Street. No one was in the store at the time, but the collision left the 193os building in an unsafe state. Fire department crews erected scaffolding to shore up the structure until building inspectors can determine whether the building is safe to enter, said Deputy Chief Michael Reilly. The green building actually hosts three of the town's 20 or so businesses: the Clifton General Store, The Main Street Pub and a florist, according to the store and town websites. Clifton has a population of about 200 people, with homes built in the 1700s. The town was declared a National Historic District in 1985. The SUV struck the store on a corner of the building and disabled the building's electric meter, which caused a power failure, Reilly said. Crews were working to restore power to the store and pub's refrigeration systems, he said. It was not clear when the business would reopen.