10 Old-Timey General Stores In Texas

Many Texas towns were founded by German immigrants, and several of their general stores still carry German names and goods. Other stores reflect the state's country-music culture with basements converted into dance halls and saloons. The ten stores below include experiences like repairing a banjo at the General Mercantile and Oldtime String Shop. Visitors can also eat a half-pound burger at The Morales Store. Others can dance downstairs at the Bandera General Store.

Eggemeyer's General Store

Eggemeyer's General Store is located on Concho Street in San Angelo and was established by Bobby and Karen Eggemeyer in the 1980s. It originally operated from a smaller location before moving to its current home, a 1911 building that previously housed a Buick dealership and later the Angelo Automotive repair shop. Bobby and Karen purchased the building in 1992 and converted the two-story space into a general store.

The store stocks candles, cooking utensils, homemade fudge, candy, jewelry, and small household items. A cup of coffee costs five cents.

Jefferson General Store

The Jefferson General Store operates in Jefferson, Texas, a community of around 2,000 people, and has been in continuous use under several owners since the 1870s. Rudolph Ballauf acquired the hardware store in the 1880s and later passed it to his daughter Emma and her husband Eugene Meyer Sr. The business operated as Eugene Meyer & Son Hardware until 1977.

The current store combines period items with modern goods. It includes an old-fashioned soda fountain, vintage candy, Texas jams, hats, and five-cent coffee. Pickled vegetables feature prominently in the inventory, including baby dills along with jalapeño- and habanero-stuffed olives.

Gruene General Store

Gruene was founded in the 1840s by German immigrants who planted cotton on the surrounding fields, and the settlement now operates as a historic district within New Braunfels. By the 1870s, a population of sharecroppers had grown in the area, and H. D. Gruene, son of founder Ernst Gruene, built the Gruene General Store to supply them. The store opened in 1878 and has remained in continuous operation since.

Though the cotton fields were destroyed by boll weevils in the early 20th century, the store continued. It currently includes a soda fountain, five-cent coffee, and a 1950s-style ice cream counter. Other goods include t-shirts, cowboy hats, toys, books, candy, and Uncle Otto's fudge.

General Mercantile and Oldtime String Shop

The General Mercantile and Oldtime String Shop is located in Nacogdoches, a town with roots dating to a Spanish mission founded in 1716 and often cited as the oldest town in Texas. The building has housed various businesses over its history, including a general store and later a café, before operating as the Oldtime String Shop. Owner Steve Hartz added general-store elements back into the shop after researching the building's history.

The shop's primary business is the repair and construction of acoustic string instruments, and musicians are invited to play on Saturday afternoons. The general store side stocks shaving supplies, toys, wooden spoons, jams, homemade brooms, Blue Stripe Pottery made in Texas, and local honey.

The Bergheim Meat Market

Bergheim takes its name from the German term for mountain home. The town sits at around 1,440 feet above sea level in a ranching area north of San Antonio. The Bergheim General Store and Post Office opened in 1903 and operated for more than a century before closing in 2018. Joe Doria and Bill Bird purchased the property in 2020 and reopened it as The Bergheim Meat Market.

The current owners maintain the historic storefront and sell beef, veal, lamb, cabrito, and pork. The store also carries Texas pecans and seasonal berries.

The Morales Store

The Morales Store is located in the unincorporated community of Morales in Jackson County. The area was named after a Spanish blacksmith in the 1840s and later developed with a saloon, telegraph office, and the general store. When the railroad bypassed the community, the population declined.

The store has changed hands several times. Current owners Mickie and Diana McLennan operate it primarily as a burger-and-sandwich counter, with fresh half-pound burgers, chicken salad sandwiches, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and tacos. Candy and gift items round out the retail side.

Bandera General Store

The Bandera General Store occupies a building that has served as a dance venue for most of its history. Built in 1907 in the Hill Country town of Bandera, it operated as Cox Dance Hall from 1921 and later as the Silver Dollar Saloon and Dance Hall beginning in the 1960s, hosting performers including Willie Nelson.

The basement now houses Arkey's Silver Dollar Saloon, and the upstairs operates as a general store with a 1950s-era ice cream fountain serving malts, milkshakes, and sundaes. The store also functions as the town's only bookstore, with children's books, history, fiction, and biographies.

Luckenbach General Store

The Luckenbach General Store dates to the mid-19th century in the German-founded community of Luckenbach near Fredericksburg. It is one of the oldest buildings in the settlement and has long stocked items that other general stores skipped. A German-language newspaper reportedly noted in 1902 that the store carried both coffins and cowbells.

The store now sells Luckenbach-branded merchandise, including koozies, stickers, and magnets with the town slogan "Everybody's somebody in Luckenbach," alongside t-shirts, hats, and accessories. It also functions as a dance hall and bar, and hosts concerts by touring country artists and community events.

Windthorst General Store

Windthorst is named after Ludwig Windthorst, a 19th-century German Catholic politician, and the community has retained much of its German Catholic identity. Local landmarks include St. Mary's Catholic Church and the Windthorst General Store.

The store was first opened in 1892 by the Weinzapfel family and has passed through several German-heritage families in the community. The current storefront was constructed in 1921 after an earlier building was lost. The store serves freshly made burgers at lunch and biscuits at breakfast, and stocks clothes, food, jams, German sausages, and snacks.

Fischer Store

The Fischer Store is named after the founding family of the town in the Texas Hill Country. Hermann Fischer and Anna Lindemann built the first structure in 1855, and the operation expanded into a network of buildings that included a post office, bank, and saloon. The current building dates to 1902 and is still operated by the Fischer family.

The store stocks antiques and locally made items. The grounds are also used for farmers' markets, parties, and weddings, continuing the property's original role as a community gathering point.

German Heritage and Texan Spirit

These ten Texas general stores reflect both the state's German immigrant history and the continued presence of small-town retail. Several, including The Bergheim Meat Market and The Morales Store, closed at one point before being reopened under new ownership. The stores function as local retail and community gathering spaces in their respective towns.