5 Old-Timey General Stores In Arizona

Why do these places still draw crowds in 2026? Five general stores in Arizona have outlasted highway exits and big-box stores by sticking to what they were always good at. They sell snacks and souvenirs and a little local history at the same counter. A few hold onto the original wooden floors and screen doors. One has been turned into a museum. The rest are still ringing up sales every day.

Hackberry General Store

Northeast of Kingman the Hackberry General Store is a Route 66 landmark that opened in 1934 as Northside Grocery. After years of decline it was restored and reopened in the 1990s as a roadside stop and souvenir shop. Ownership has changed hands a few times since but the look has stayed the same so the place reads as equal parts museum and active shop. Vintage cars and gas pumps and retro signage cover the lot for the photo crowd. Inside the store sells snacks, drinks, ice cream, and keepsakes. It's the kind of stop where the parking lot itself is half the experience.

Historic Route 66 General Store

The Historic Route 66 General Store sits along a stretch of Route 66 west of Flagstaff in Seligman. It's been part of the town's main strip for decades and remains family-owned. Inside you'll find Route 66 souvenirs and vintage memorabilia next to actual groceries plus snacks, hardware, and hunting and fishing supplies. It still functions like a working general store where you can grab essentials or just browse. Behind the building is an RV campground. Next door the Roadkill Café brings its own old-time roadside feel and gift shop into the mix.

Oatman General Store

Oatman is a Western ghost town and former mining camp west of Kingman that's home to the Oatman General Store. During the early 1900s gold-mining boom Oatman's population swelled into the thousands and stores like this one supplied miners and residents with everything from boots to flour. Today the store sells collectibles, Route 66 souvenirs, apparel, novelty items, and seasonal décor. Recent additions have included jewelry and unique artifacts that reflect the town's evolution from working mining camp to roadside destination.

Just outside the store the Old West shows up in another form. Costumed performers stage daily gunfight reenactments in the middle of the street that mix humor with frontier storytelling. The shows draw crowds year-round and have become a defining part of Oatman's reputation as one of the more entertaining stops along Route 66.

Original Tortilla Flat Country Store

Tortilla Flat northeast of the Phoenix metro area along the Apache Trail is a historic stagecoach stop dating to 1904. Over the years it grew into a small roadside outpost with the Original Tortilla Flat Country Store eventually anchoring the community. A visit usually starts with a scoop or two of the store's signature prickly-pear gelato. Homemade fudge plus warm cinnamon nuts plus sauces, salsas, seasonings, honey, and classic bottled sodas round out the rest of the shelves. Souvenirs and Western-themed gear fill what's left of the room. The surrounding outpost includes a saloon, a restaurant, and mercantile-style shops that all lean into the rustic Old West character of the place.

W. D. Martinez General Merchandise Store

In Benson northwest of Tucson the W. D. Martinez General Merchandise Store stands as one of the town's most historic commercial buildings. William D. Martinez built it in 1921 as a neighborhood general store supplying goods to the area during Benson's early growth as a railroad and trade hub. The building changed hands a few times before the San Pedro Valley Arts & Historical Society acquired it in 1983. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Today it operates as a museum with exhibits on ranching, farming, and the town's railroad history.

Historic Buildings From Arizona's Past

Across Arizona these general stores still reflect the role they once played at the center of small-town life. Some have been preserved as historic museums. Others have been adapted into community spaces. A few still operate as roadside stops along Route 66 and beyond. From Hackberry and Seligman to the old mining town of Oatman each one holds onto the character of early commerce that anchored these communities. Stocked shelves, repurposed counters, vintage displays, and carefully maintained interiors all serve as reminders of how these places once functioned and many of them are still rooted in the landscapes today's travelers pass through.