The addition of plastic trim at the oldest retail store on Martha’s Vineyard has officials in West Tisbury questioning whether they should allow new modern construction materials on historic buildings.

The new proprietors of Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury quietly reopened the famous shop Saturday morning, quickly drawing customers after a summer-long closure.

Punctuating a summer of upheaval, the Vineyard Trust announced changes in board leadership, and said it had launched a search for a new executive director.

Alley’s General Store will likely remain closed throughout the summer, representatives for the Vineyard Trust told the West Tisbury select board Wednesday.

Concerned about the shuttered state of Alley’s General Store, the West Tisbury select board said this week it will invite spokesmen for the Vineyard Trust to appear at next week’s meeting.

The trust announced Thursday that the owners of LeRoux — a kitchen and home-goods store based in Vineyard Haven — will manage the historic general store.

Alley's General Store is having exterior work done before the holidays, according to the Vineyard Trust.

It’s called Squid Row, and it is the harbor’s number one repository for gossip, stories, memories and fishing tales of questionable veracity.

While Rhonda Backus was working inside Alley’s General Store last weekend she noticed a crowd gathering outside.

“It was a vibe of when the president drives by,” she said.

But instead of watching a motorcade, the crowd had gathered to see a procession of black and white baby skunks.