10 Old-Timey General Stores In Massachusetts

Massachusetts has always been a haven for photographers. From the pretty beaches of Cape Cod to the charming streets of the Berkshires, every corner of the Bay State offers a picture-perfect scene. Throw in the countless general stores dotting its landscape, and visitors may feel as if they’ve stepped into a painting by Norman Rockwell, who lived and painted in the picturesque town of Stockbridge. Vivid reminders of simpler times, these storied establishments, complete with creaking wooden floors and vintage signs, were more than stores; they were the heart of many small communities. In Massachusetts, the art of the general store is alive and well, blending the warmth of tradition with the vibrancy of modern life.

The Brewster Store (Brewster)

The Brewster Store on beautiful Cape Cod was initially built as a two-story church in 1852, but in the post-Civil War period, attendance declined, and the building was sold for one dollar to William W. Knowles. The store was converted to a general store on the first floor and a large room on the second floor, known as “The Hall,” where Knowles held social events. By 1883, Knowles became the postmaster, and his son joined the family business, eventually selling the store to the general store’s manager, Henry Crocker.

Changing owners and names from the Crocker Store to the Donald Doone Store, it finally became the Brewster Store, named after the town, in the early 1970s. Today, the Brewster Store is the heart of the small community where the locals meet on the old church pews on the front porch for coffee, cake, and chitchat. Kids gather next door at night to order ice cream cones from the Brewster Scoop, which was added to the general store. The old-timey store still sells penny candy, vintage toys, puzzles, greeting cards, and Brewster Store-branded merch like t-shirts, sweatshirts, and homemade preserves.

Marion General Store (Marion)

Initially built in 1794 as a Congregational Meeting House, the Marion General has always been the center of the small town on the shores of Buzzards Bay. For a century, the main floor served as a church while the second floor held plays and town meetings. The church became a general store when Stephen Delano bought and renamed it Delano’s Hall. The store was purchased and sold numerous times over the years, but despite the ownership change, the building remained remarkably untouched. In 1974, the store was sold to its current owner, Jack Cheney.

The Marion General Store is still owned by Cheney, who kept the store in its original condition until renovations were required in 2019. Partnering with the Sippican Historical Society and a posse of local supporters, the building got a new roof, insulation, siding, and windows, and the electrical system was updated. A wheelchair accessible ramp and bathroom were also added, but the layout and nostalgic feel of the old-timey store have not changed. Today, the store is a popular spot for a deli-style lunch with weekly specials advertised regularly on its social media pages. It also carries groceries, household items, wine, spirits, and baked goods.

1856 Country Store (Centerville)

Another oldie but goodie on Cape Cod, the 1856 Country Store has strong roots in the village of Centerville, going back as far as 1840 when the red building was built to store cranberries after the harvest. It turned into a shoe store briefly in 1842 until becoming a general store in 1856. The village’s roots go back even further, when it was called “Chequaquet,” meaning “village by the sea.” The town’s name was changed to Centerville when the first post office opened.

In 1975, the Uchmans family bought the over 150-year-old store, and it has been a family affair ever since, and a much-loved destination on Cape Cod. The store is open year-round, but during the summer, it is jammed with tourists shopping for best sellers, like True Bayberry Candles, flavored coffees from the Cape Cod Coffee Company, and Lighthouse Keeper’s Pantry products. Of course, there’s penny candy in glass jars, vintage board games and puzzles, and coastal-inspired jewelry. In front of the general store, between the two flying American flags, are porch benches: one marked Republicans, the other marked Democrats.

Pleasant Lake General Store (Harwich)

The historic Lake Pleasant General Store in Harwich has been in operation for over 150 years, when it was a flag station stop on the Old Colony railroad, where farmers would stop with their cranberry crop for shipment across the United States. Today, the old railroad has been transformed into the 25-mile-long Cape Cod Rail Trail, which starts in Yarmouth, runs through Harwich, and winds up in Wellfleet, and the little red store is a popular stop for cyclists on the bike trail.

Although the store's exterior still harkens back to the good old general store days, the interior is modernized and features homemade pizza under the brand “Pizza Shark.” The store’s shelves still stock cold drinks, beer, and wine, so cyclists can pick up a nice bottle of Chianti to take home with their pies. There’s an ice cream window that sells cones and cups to go, and bagged penny candy. The general store + pizza shop is open 7 days a week, year-round, from 10 am until 9 pm.

Williamsburg General Store (Williamsburg)

Like a lot of old-timey general stores, the Williamsburg General Store has a storied past. It was built in 1876, two years after a devastating flood destroyed much of Williamsburg and the nearby town of Skinnerville, taking much of Kinney Wait’s first general store downstream. A businessman through and through, Kinney Wait decided to build a new store, much of it still in evidence in the current Williamsburg General Store, including the sloped oak floorboards where people waited for their mail at the post office, original shelving, and numbered drawers indicating the size of nails they used to hold.

In 1977, the Majercik family purchased the general store on Main Street, a large colorful general store located on what the locals call “the Berkshire Trail,” referring to the many scenic hiking and biking trails throughout the stunning Berkshire Hills. The store is a treasure trove of goodies, featuring everything from kitchen gadgets and incense to hand-dipped candles and handcrafted jewelry. There’s an onsite bakery, with a menu offering pecan and apple pies, Irish soda breads, cheddar cheese rolls, and seasonal fruit cakes and pumpkin squares. The homemade fudge is legendary.

Davoll’s General Store (South Dartmouth)

Established in 1793, Davoll’s General Store claims to be the oldest general store in the U.S.. Still, while many general stores make similar claims, Davoll’s General Store is the oldest continuously operating general store in Massachusetts. The store is in the Russell Mills Historic District and on the National Register of Historic Places. With a long history of owners, the store was known as Slocum’s Store in the second half of the 19th century, until the Davolls purchased it at the start of the 20th century. It was sold several times, but the name Davolls General Store stuck.

Currently, the store is owned by brothers Will and Ben Shattuck, local boys who grew up down the street. While keeping the old-school general store tradition alive with honey, eggs, milk, sandwiches to go, and other staples of everyday life, the brothers have also added a small independent bookstore, a café, and a pub with beer on tap and pub snacks to the mix, so visitors should plan on staying a while at this charming general store.

Mill River General Store (New Marlborough)

The Mill River General Store opened its doors in 1840 in the Berkshires, but not much is known about its early history. A throwback to another era, the iconic store was sold in 2017 by its long-time owner, Dave Herrick, who’d created an unofficial gathering place where locals met for coffee and donuts for decades in the store’s “coffee club.” Groceries and dry goods lined the shelves of the one-room store, and there was a deli and a serve yourself coffee bar at the back. The store had a post office until it merged with another post office a few miles away in 2020.

In 2021, the store was purchased by Peter Chapin and his mother, Jan Johnson, who own nearby Mill River Farm. Today, the historic space is home to staples like locally-sourced meats, dairy, produce, pantry items, honey, and craft spirits, all to support local and regional farmers, artisans, and producers.

Alley’s General Store (West Tisbury)

Alley’s General Store is the oldest retail business in West Tisbury, whose motto is “Dealers in Almost Everything,” and is located in the popular vacation island hotspot of Martha’s Vineyard. Alley’s General Store was first opened in 1858 by Nathan Mayhew, a West Tisbury resident who returned to the island after a failed trip to California in search of gold didn’t pan out. Following Nathan’s death, his sons, Sanderson and Ulysses, took over the store and named it S.M. Mayhew Co., but the locals simply called it Sanderson’s. The store changed hands in 1927, added an in-store post office, and was finally bought by longtime store clerk Albion Alley.

More new owners and constant change brought financial trouble to Alley’s doorstep, and the store closed in 1992 for the first time in its 134-year-old history. Then in stepped the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, a nonprofit that buys and maintains historical properties on the island, like the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs. Today, Alley’s General Store is the heart of the historic village where locals still collect their mail, share a cup of joe on the big front porch, and pick up a gallon of milk.

The Store at Five Corners (Williamstown)

The Store at Five Corners is another example of a community rallying behind a much-loved general store and saving it. Built in 1770 and operated as a tavern, the landmark store dates back to the Revolutionary War, where soldiers gathered to discuss war plans. In the past 200+ years, it has operated as a stagecoach depot, a general store, and the first post office in South Williamstown.

The historic store in the Berkshires had been known as one of the longest continuously-operating businesses in the U.S. until the summer of 2020, when the owner abruptly shut the store’s doors due to the pandemic. A group of community members banded together and formed a non-profit organization called The Store at Five Corners Stewardship Association, eventually raising enough money to purchase and maintain the store.

Today, the Store at Five Corner Café and Market is run by one of the group’s members, Corey Wentworth, a chef and restaurant/café manager. The store sells everyday staples, and the café features locally sourced, seasonally rotating menus, baked goods, and coffee.

Bramhall's Country Store (Plymouth)

Bramhall’s Country Store was founded in 1828 when George Bramhall bought a piece of land in Eel River for $25. The building itself dates back to 1750, and when the current owner, Ben Bramwell, took over the store from his father, Richard Wedgewood Bramhall Jr. (or “Wedge,” as the locals knew him), he discovered a treasure trove of artifacts in the store’s attic. These items included cobbler’s benches, coffee tins, plate glass negatives, postal guides, agricultural tools, and more, tracing the life of the store over two centuries. Suffice it to say, the country store has been in the Bramwell family for at least six generations.

Over the years, the store has been a cobbler’s shop, a carpentry barn, and was one of the first post offices in the U.S., until Wedge reopened the store as a country store in 1980. It quickly became a summer hangout for the community, and the go-to place for corn on the cob and fresh lobster from the lobster tank Wedge built. Today, Wedge’s son continues the family tradition, buying produce from local farm stands, fresh flowers, and good-for-you smoothies. The inside of the store is a poignant step back in time, with the Bramwell family’s attic memorabilia displayed on the wall and in display cases.

Massachusetts has a rich history of charming general stores, many of which have been community hubs for over a century. From the Brewster Store on Cape Cod, with its roots as an 1852 church, to the Store at Five Corners, originally a tavern, these establishments have evolved to blend nostalgia with modern convenience. Catering to both locals and tourists, in historic villages like West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard or tucked in scenic areas like the Berkshire Hills, these enduring landmarks provide a glimpse into the past while continuing to serve as vital community gathering spots.