11 Old-Timey General Stores In New York
No other state in the United States celebrates commerce more than New York, with a history rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit that defines its cities and small towns. At its heart is Wall Street, a global symbol of finance and ambition, but before the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan, small-town establishments were once the heartbeat of their communities. These eleven old-timey general stores in New York offered everything from groceries and hardware to mail services and served as a gathering place for neighbors. Today, many of these historic stores endure, blending nostalgia with modernity and standing as cherished landmarks that reflect New York’s deep-rooted commitment to commerce.
St. James General Store (Saint James)
The St. James General Store is the oldest general store in New York and the oldest continuously operating general store in the United States. Located on Long Island, the old-timey general store has been around since 1857. The 168-year-old institution has a storied past in the hamlet of Saint James in the town of Smithtown, dating back to its founding by Ebenezer Smith, a descendant of the town's founder, Richard “Bull” Smith. At the start of the 20th century, Ebenezer passed the store to his son, and it remained in the family for over a century. The store sold general goods and services, was the local post office, and was home to the area’s first telephone.
In 1974, it joined other landmark properties in what is the Saint James Historic District and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the St. James General Store remains structurally unchanged since 1894, still featuring its original counters, tea canisters, coffee grinders, and more items from days gone by. It was purchased by Suffolk County and the State of New York, and continues to be a significant part of the community during holidays and special events. It sells vintage items.
Vidler’s 5 & 10 (East Aurora)
Vidler’s 5 & 10 in historic East Aurora first opened its doors in June 1930, at the start of what would become the Great Depression. It was owned by Robert S. Vidler, who called his new store “Fair 5¢ to $1.00 Store,” and locals predicted it wouldn’t last. By the mid-1940s, the store had doubled in size, and sons Bob and Ed had joined the business. The store was then renamed Vidler’s. Early marketing geniuses, the sons sponsored the town’s first annual Sidewalk Sale and a Christmas event called Carolcade, both of which continue to the present day. A bank ad with the star of TV’s “Mission: Impossible” brought more attention to the store, as did a series of corny commercials starring the brothers.
A third member of the Vidler family joined the business in 2009 and hoisted a “Vidler on the Roof” statue over the store’s striped awnings, which quickly became a quirky landmark. In 2025, one of the Empire State’s most cherished stores will celebrate its 95th anniversary in business with a Main Street party on June 21. The two-story store is open seven days a week and sells nostalgic, old-timey candy, including wax bottles, rocky candy, and Turkish Taffy. It also carries a collection of retro toys, school supplies, home decor items, and much more.
Northville 5 - 10 - 25 Cent Store (Northville)
With a banner proclaiming it to be the oldest five-and-dime store in the U.S., the Northville Five and Dime Store has been open in its current location since 1914. The store was initially opened in 1907 under the name R.G. DeWitt and Co. General Store, after its owner, a Pennsylvania businessman who went on to own five stores specializing in very low prices, much like today’s Dollar Stores.
About an hour’s drive northwest of the capital, Albany, the old-fashioned store still features its original hardwood floors, which have inlaid stars and old coins embedded in them. On the main floor, the five-and-dime sells over 250 kinds of old penny and novelty candy, as well as new and vintage toys from the past, and last-minute grocery staples. The renovated second floor is geared towards tourists exploring Adirondack Park, selling artisan soaps, stuffed animals, and clothing.
Today, the store is owned by Ashley VanAllen, who inherited it from her mother and grandfather, who purchased it in 1996. With her daughter making the store’s fifteen varieties of homemade fudge on-site, four generations of the VanAllen family have been in the business.
Canada Lake Store and Marine (Long Lake)
The Canada Lake Store and Marine is a family-owned and operated business in the Southern Adirondack Mountains on beautiful Canada Lake. The one-stop shop started as a small general store in 1973 and still maintains the quaint, small-town feel it had in years past. In the 50+ years since its opening day, the store has grown, adding more items for both locals and vacationing out-of-towners. Visitors to the southern Adirondacks won’t miss it: there are two fishermen decked out in plaid shirts fishing from a canoe on the store’s porch roof.
Today, the store carries everything from groceries and deli meat to gifts and fishing supplies. The “store” part of Canada Lake Store and Marine also rents stand-up paddleboards, canoes, small motorboats, and pontoon boats, while its “marine” component offers one of the top-rated repair services in the region. There’s a gift shop, and the Lake Effect Café is located adjacent to the store, occupying what used to be an old post office.
Hillsdale General Store (Hillsdale)
A classic all-American general store, the Hillsdale General Store first opened as Dimmick's, a retail store, in 1855. During its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was an integral part of everyday life for the residents in the tiny hamlet of Hillsdale. Over the ensuing years, the store was a grocery store, the Hillsdale Sport Shop, the Hillsdale Electronics Shop, and a video store.
Today, the store has undergone further changes and has evolved into a high-end general store that still carries the everyday staples shoppers have come to expect from an old-school general store steeped in nostalgia. The Hudson Valley-Great Barrington area store has expanded to include a Home Chef teaching kitchen across the street, offering cooking classes and pretty kitchenware for sale. Domestic goddess Martha Stewart has plugged the store on her television show.
Copake General Store (Copake)
The Copake General Store was established in the mid-1850s in a building that had previously served as a Methodist church, featuring a bell tower constructed in 1834. In 1889, a fire destroyed the general store and the upstairs barbershop. Then owner Grant Langdon rebuilt the store without the bell tower, and it was sold to the store’s postmaster, F. Wilikinson, and renamed Wilkinson’s General Store.
The Hudson Valley store changed hands a few times and became the Copake Front Porch Market, a cooperative effort between the residents of Copake and neighboring small towns. In 2017, new owner Seung Suh re-established the Copake General Store’s reputation as an essential part of the community, offering a variety of fresh produce, pantry items, milk, cheese, and bread. They also have a Grab-n-Go sandwich menu full of artisanal ingredients on fresh baguettes with names like “Wild Child,” “Serge,” and “Mushroom Banh Mi.”
Hoss’s Country Corner (Long Lake)
Hoss’s Country Corner is tucked away in Long Lake, one of the oldest towns in Adirondack Park. A cherished institution, the family-owned general store has been a favorite destination for locals and visitors since 1972. In keeping with the seasonal changes in the Adirondacks, the store rotates its offerings based on the time of year. In the summer, it’s a haven for hikers, campers, and boaters; in the spring, anglers stock up on bait and fishing supplies, and gardeners buy seeds and tools. What doesn’t seem to change with the seasons is Hoss’s Country Corner’s commitment to promoting the Adirondack region by supporting artisans, local honey and jam producers, craftsmen and women, and others.
Tioga Centre General Store (Tioga County)
The Tioga Centre General Store was built in 1849 by F.W. Schoonover, reflecting the typical Greek Revival style of architecture of the mid-19th century. At the time, it sold a variety of items, including housewares, farm supplies, sundries, clothing, dry goods, and equipment, and was always a popular gathering place for residents. It also housed the local telephone exchange. In recent years, it has operated as both an antique shop and an ice cream parlor. The building is now vacant and for sale. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 and is the only surviving commercial structure of significance remaining in Tioga County.
Marilla Country Store (Marilla)
The Marilla Country Store in western New York first opened its doors as the H.T. Foster & Company Store in 1851, and according to its current owners, husband and wife Sandy and Paul Grunzweig, it has never closed its doors for 174 years. The store has experienced its share of history, including 34 U.S. presidents, eight global pandemics, and a botched attempt to blow up the store’s safe that dates back to 1872.
The first owner of the store was Harrison T. Foster, who provided goods and services to settlers who came to the area to establish farms. Upon his death, his partner took over the store, and the name changed to G.C. Monchow. It remained in the Monchow family from 1890 until 1979, when Sandy Gruzweig’s parents purchased it and renamed it the Marilla Country Store. In 2000, Sandy bought the store from her parents.
Today, the charming piece of nostalgia is packed with thousands of items, including one-of-a-kind gifts, home decor, children’s toys and books, homemade jams and jellies, and much more. They sell deli products, groceries, fresh roasted cinnamon-glazed nuts, and old-timey candy. On the store’s second floor, a museum is located, filled with historic archival materials and equipment saved over the years since its founding in 1851, including the safe from 1872.
Simons General Store (Ancram)
Simons General Store was built in 1873 by Martin Luther Hill at a major crossroads in the center of the hamlet of Ancram. In 1924, the store was purchased by E.J. Simons, who owned it until 1971, when Donald R. Chapin and John-Peter Hayden acquired it. In its heyday, Simons General was the hub of commerce for the entire area, with several wagon routes delivering goods to farmers and collecting produce, which was then shipped to New York City by train.
The building was Ancram’s general store, and also housed the Ancram Post Office. The building's two-story porch served as a gathering spot for numerous public events, including the dedication of the World War I monument in the park across the street. In 2016, the landmark building was bought by artist James Kennedy with plans to live and work there.
Manion’s General Store (Ferndale)
Manion’s General Store is a historic general store and post office located in Ferndale, a hamlet that boomed as a resort community in the early 20th century in New York’s Catskill Mountains. It was owned by two brothers, Fred and Thomas Manion, who worked as store manager and postmaster. The first floor of the building was divided into a retail space and the post office, while the second floor was a five-room apartment used by the postmaster. The store carried a wide variety of hardware and household goods. Fred Manion worked in the store until he died in 1979, but the post office remained in the building until the 1980s. The store was built between 1914 and 1925, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The store’s last known incarnation was as the Ferndale Antique Marketplace Center, which closed permanently sometime after 2017.
The general stores of New York are steeped in history, nostalgia, and warm, fuzzy feelings, each offering a unique glimpse into the past while catering to modern-day needs. From the St. James General Store, the nation's oldest continuously operating general store, to Vidler’s 5 & 10, a quirky East Aurora icon with retro candy and toys, these shops have stood the test of time. Whether browsing Hoss’s Country Corner in Long Lake for seasonal treasures or stepping into Marilla Country Store’s museum-like upstairs, one thing’s clear: if they don’t sell it, shoppers probably don’t need it. More than places to shop, these old-timey general stores are landmarks, gathering spots, and enduring pieces of small-town Americana.
