5 Old-Timey General Stores In Kansas
Stepping into a Kansas general store feels like stepping back in time. The scent of coffee and old-fashioned candy lingers in the air, neighbors gather around the soda fountain, and the inventory ranges from fresh produce to Route 66 memorabilia. Nelson's Old Riverton Store has been operating since 1925 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sugar Creek Country Store in St. Marys runs a New York-style deli inside an 1885 building. Batson's Drug Store and Family Market in Howard still pours fresh-squeezed limeade from a 1960s soda fountain. Here are five old-timey general stores in Kansas worth a stop.
Nelson's Old Riverton Store
Since 1925, the residents have relied on Nelson's Old Riverton Store for daily essentials, but more than providing for the community, the general store has played a significant role in Riverton's history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the store has also cemented its place in history as part of the renowned Route 66. For almost 100 years, travelers down the iconic road have found themselves veering off to enjoy great company, even better food, and unique gifts and trinkets. It has been so well known that the store screens the Pixar Cars documentary on the Route 66 inspirations behind the film, in which the store appears. Today, guests can visit for a sandwich from the deli, Route 66 memorabilia, Riverton souvenirs, and more.
Sugar Creek Country Store
Located in St. Marys, The Sugar Creek Country Store is housed in an old-fashioned building from 1885. The establishment opened its doors in 2016, but includes the remnants of a time long gone. Nostalgic trinkets and delights fill the shelves while New York-style deli sandwiches fill the space with their enticing aroma. Sugar Creek pairs Amish bulk-food staples with a sit-down deli, an unusual combination in this part of Kansas. Walk around the building and step back in time to the family-run shop that provides delightful food, fond memories, and good old-fashioned hospitality.
New Lancaster General Store
With roots in New Lancaster dating back to 1874, the New Lancaster General Store has been a staple in the local community for many years. Sadly, the original building perished in a fire, but it was back up and running again in 1903. Over the next 100 years, the building served as not only a general store but also a co-op, a distributor for cream separators and John Deere implements, a telephone switchboard, the local post office, a creamery, an ice stable, a poultry house, and a livery. Today, the general store specializes in Kansas-focused goods and honors its historical roots. The business might have undergone some modernization over the years, but still maintains its original floors, shelves, and tin ceiling, and rolling ladder.
Mildred Store
This unique institution is not just a general store, but also a music venue and RV park. Mildred Store in Mildred was originally opened in 1915 and was passed down for three generations, operating for almost 100 years until closing in 2014. But luckily for the residents of Mildred, who found themselves without a grocery store, it wasn't closed for long. Quickly reopened and restored to its former glory, the Mildred Store now offers grocery items, a meat market, deli meats and sandwiches, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and special candies.
Batson's Drug Store and Family Market
Continuously expanding since 1962, Batson's Drug Store and Family Market has all the makings of a good old-fashioned general store. The first expansion was to a three-store front shop, and then a grocery store was added after the last one in Howard closed. From canned foods to fresh produce, bread, and fresh-cut meat, the full grocery store even includes clerks who will carry your groceries to your car. The three buildings maintain many of their original furnishings, including a tin roof, and the highlight, a classic 1960's soda fountain. Try a limeade from homemade sugar and fresh-squeezed limes, one of 14 different ice cream flavors, a float, a banana split, and so much more!
It's not just the items sold in a general store that make it unique and coveted, but also the foundation of the building that houses them. A tin roof, warped wooden floors, rolling ladders, soda fountains, and restoration glass windows are all part of the appeal that draws visitors in. Whether the general store is actually historic or modern with all the accouterments of a historic building, the vibe is always the same. Friendly, hospitable, and warm. See for yourself all the history in these five old-timey general stores in Kansas.
