Today, you can pick up all your essentials (and non-essentials) in one trip to a large grocery store – but seeking out an independent general store can lead you to all manner of treasures. These versatile shops have been on main streets and rural roadsides for centuries, and there's often no telling what you'll find inside. Here we've tracked down 30 of America's most historic general stores, offering everything from full meals to handmade sweet treats to artisan produce.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover America’s oldest general stores that are still going strong today, counting down to the most beloved of all.
Protected by the Vineyard Trust, Alley's General Store is the oldest retail spot on the resort island of Martha's Vineyard, in operation since 1858 (with a change in ownership in 2021). Today, Alley's is as much a local hangout as it is a store. Visitors will find all the usual time-tested goodies, from coffee and snacks to candy for the kids.
Operating as a general store since 1809, this spot still promises its customers 'the best in country home accessories and gourmet specialties.' The pretty clapboard shop is named for James Brown and William Hopkins, the store's owners from the Roaring Twenties. Today, there's still no shortage of things to sink your teeth into; look out for fruity butters, spices, rubs, and relishes by local makers.
Visitors en route from pretty Cataract Falls should make a stop at Cataract General Store, a cornerstone of the little town of Spencer since 1860. True to its roots, it's still stocked with groceries and snacks, plus toys, camping gear, and souvenirs, too. House specialties include moon pies – marshmallow encased in Graham cookies and typically doused in chocolate – and pickles from a decades-old pickle barrel.
Sitting on the bank of the Des Moines River, in the tiny village of Bentonsport, Greef General Store dates all the way back to the 1840s. Once a bustling general store that provided everyday essentials to local townspeople, it's now a historical landmark, operating as both a museum and an antiques store. Best of all, there's a fudge counter, where you can choose from around 20 delicious flavors.
This Hansel and Gretel–esque shop may look like a movie set, but it's been a permanent fixture of the little town of St. James since 1857. Still at the heart of the local community, the store was home to the town's very first post office and was here when St. James was little more than a huddle of 30 houses. Now it offers a tasty slice of history, its shelves laden with jellies, pickles, and candy. There are baked goods for sale, too.
The folks at Wilson Store promise a taste of history, as the restored shop dates back to the 1850s. The upstairs is dedicated to antiques and home décor, while downstairs stocks a glorious hodgepodge of goodies. Customers can purchase everything from Cheddar and locally made jellies to handmade soaps and retro candy. There's country ham and house-made chips on offer, too.
Beale Street is the glittering main artery of Memphis and A. Schwab Trading Company is its oldest store. The shop opened way back in 1876, when it sold household bits and basic clothing. Now the store is an Aladdin's cave of Memphis memorabilia, old-school sweets, and cookware. There's also an old-fashioned soda fountain for retro milkshakes and ice cream–topped waffle cones.
This veteran general store – the oldest in the state of California – has seen a lot in its long history. Knights Ferry General Store's 1852 founding date means it predates the American Civil War, and it also survived the devastating Great Flood of 1862. Today the shop is crammed full of fresh local produce and deli goodies, while the saloon and grill dish up burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
A wonderful mishmash of gifts and groceries can be found within the walls of The Brewster Store. The building actually began life as a church in 1852, before being converted to a store in 1866. Since then, it's satisfied the folks of small town Brewster with its impressive selection of oil lamps, clothing, and gourmet treats. Staff will grind carefully selected, imported coffee beans right on site, and direct you to shelves heaving with fudge, penny candy, and cranberries picked from local bogs.
There are a handful of Mast General Stores across the American Southeast now, but this is the original and, some might say, the best. The store and its nearby annex were built in the 1880s and 1909 respectively, on land purportedly traded for sheepskin, a dog, and a rifle. Today the main store still houses the town's post office while also selling cookware and coffee. The annex, meanwhile, brims with retro candy.
This Jericho stalwart has operated in three different centuries, beginning life in 1807. Back then it sold farm produce, molasses, and rum. Today it remains a staple of the community, still specializing in farm-fresh goods and local delights. Come by for deli meats, smoked on site, and for the Vermont maple 'creemees' – cones piled high with maple syrup–flavored ice cream.
This Southern store – dating right back to 1872 – charms visitors before they even step inside, with a wood-clad façade draped in greenery and fronted by neat flower beds. The interior is filled with tempting treats, too. Loyal customers swing by for the store's own blackberry jelly, pickles, and Georgia peach hot sauce. There's also a café selling house-made sandwiches and just-baked goods.
Proprietors of the Port Gamble General Store promise visitors they'll embark on a 'treasure hunt' when they pass through the door. The cute shop is fit to bursting with souvenirs, local drinks, and candy, while the on-site café dishes out house-baked goods, ice cream, and sandwiches to hungry shoppers. The store building dates back to 1916, and it's also been home to offices for the Puget Mill Company.
Barely changed since the 1920s, this classic general store occupies a spot along the old Route 66 – in fact, it actually pre-dates the Mother Road herself. It's still a favorite stop for travelers, who come by to admire the original old tin ceiling and to stock up on provisions for the road. As well as plants, little gifts, and Route 66 relics, there's fresh produce, canned goods, and hearty deli sandwiches.
'Doing it the Bradley's way since 1927' – that's the motto of this homey country store on the outskirts of Florida's capital. Turns out the Bradley's way involves dishing out tempting smoked sausages made to a recipe that's been in the family since 1910, when Grandma Mary Bradley began selling sausages from her own kitchen. Customers can also try country delights like hogshead cheese and mayhaw jelly, and pick up gift packs loaded with goodies.
General stores don't come much more rustic or old-school than Rabbit Hash, operational since 1831. It's barely changed, despite surviving a devastating trio of floods (in 1884, 1913, and 1937). The latter left the little shop almost entirely underwater. Today, it's a one-stop shop for trinkets and foodie gifts, with hampers on sale for beer lovers, coffee fiends, and more.
Customers will feel like they've been sucked into a time machine at this super-retro spot in northeastern Texas. The store dates back to the 1870s and the modern owners have kept vintage touches that offer up a slice of the past. There's an old-school juke box and a soda fountain, and you can fill up on root beer floats and coffee. The pecan pralines and Blue Bell Ice Cream are the house favorites.
The Old West–style sign and the promise of 'Fountain Lunch' hints at the age of this Californian shop. It's located in former mining boom town Randsburg and it originally served as Jone's Drug Co., before opening as a general store in the 1930s. Today punters still swing by for groceries, then sit at the counter and sip malt milkshakes, or feast on breakfast plates and deli sandwiches.
Another New England jewel, Hope General Store was established in 1832 and has been in operation ever since. It's long been a spot for pantry staples and still stocks everything from candy and soft drinks to crackers and canned soup. On the hunt for lunch? Made-to-order sandwiches, pizzas, and hot specials will fill you up after a bit of retail therapy.
This historic spot is billed as the oldest continually operating retail establishment in Oregon, and it's now looked after by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It has its roots in the 19th century, when it was the community's go-to shop. Today, it's open seasonally and still operates as a dinky store and café for deli sandwiches, ice cream, and camping provisions.
This rustic general store in eastern Texas has a history stretching back to 1907, when it served as a mercantile and post office for the buzzy cotton town of Hearne. Sadly the shop was closed for almost four decades in the 20th century, before being revived again in 2007. Now it's a hot spot for groceries and gifts once more, and it also dishes up daily lunch specials from burgers and brisket to fried catfish.
Fishtail General Store says it's offered punters 'a little bit of everything since 1900.' True to its word, there's not much you won't find inside this long-running mercantile. There are little trinkets and antiques, all manner of dried and canned goods, and, for foodies, tasty deli sandwiches and ice cream for sale.
The roots of this fetching country store are hazy, but it's known that they began with a business named Farmer’s Supply, circa 1910. From then on, the store's doors never fully closed and it operated as a general hardware store for generations. Times were hard in the 1990s and the store only opened one night per week – but it's been fully operational again since 2007. Punters can get their fix of local apple butter and baked goods, and peruse cookware and barrels filled with candy. The venue is also renowned for its live music events and café.
This quaint-as-can-be general store is right in the middle of Amish country and is thought to be the oldest of its kind still operating in the state. It's been serving the folks of Trumbull County since 1840 and is still a top stop for sweet treats, from old-school soda to house-made fudge. The pies are the real drawcard, though – traditional Amish fry pies are filled with fruits like blueberries and peaches, then fried and glazed to perfection.
From May through to October, punters pour into the sweet Cottagewood Store for their foodie fix, as they have done for more than a century. The shop was established in 1895 and it remains a beloved Deephaven landmark, now selling gifts and souvenirs and often holding events too. Stock up on candy for the kids and stick around for a breakfast sandwich or one of the Cottagewood Flats – handmade panini filled with oozy cheese and meats.
Its name a giveaway, this delightfully old-school general store came out of the 1904 World's Fair. Beyond the gifts and homewares, sweet treats are this spot's specialty. Visitors can expect tempting chocolate displays, slabs of homemade fudge, and rainbow rows of candy.
Russell’s General Store looks picture perfect, with its neatly stacked shelves, piano, and vintage magazines. But despite its relatively modern aesthetic, the store has been operating since 1919, when it was established by namesake Cecil Russell. You can still stock up on canned and dried goods, as well as sampling delicious sandwiches, salads, and shakes made with local produce.
You can't miss the cheerful shop front of Good Hart General Store, clad in red and draped with rosette flags. The current building dates to the 1930s, then serving as a typical grocery store and gas station, and has now had the same owner since the 1970s. Inside, there's still a vintage cash register dating to 1901. Today the store sells everything from books to Michigan-made gifts, but it's the food that keeps people coming back. The warming pot pies have been sold since 1986, while the cookies have a diehard local fanbase.
Old Village Mercantile is a must-visit destination for the sweet-toothed, hawking some 600 varieties of retro candy, plus house-made ice cream and Amish-made fudge. It's had plenty of practice whipping up these sweet treats too. Opened in 1909, its longevity has earned it a deserving place on the National Register of Historic Places. You'll find this spot tucked away in quaint Caledonia, a Missouri town renowned for its Scottish heritage.
Now take a look at America's oldest bakeries still operating today
Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price