8 Old-Timey General Stores In Colorado

In Colorado's remote mountain towns, local general stores were essential for the miners and pioneers settling the West in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Many doubled as the local post office and rail ticketing office, and all were community gathering spaces. Today, these old-timey stores offer a look into the past with a foot firmly rooted in the present. R&R Market in San Luis now operates as a local food co-op. The Silverton General Store has long been a popular restaurant that still celebrates its heritage. The Chautauqua General Store reconstructed new buildings based on old plans and archives.

Montgomery's General Store

Montgomery's General Store in Yampa opened in 1890 as a mercantile and has been in continuous operation ever since. As one of the oldest general stores still around in Colorado, it has the feel of a museum, and it remains family-owned by Ken and Cindia Montgomery. They still use an old-timey hand-crank adding machine and cash register, though they do now accept credit cards. Located among the mountains in Colorado's Routt National Forest, the dark-wood-paneled exterior of the store looks like it came straight out of an old western film. Inside, you will find all kinds of classic "general merchandise" like groceries, homemade sausages, clothes, sporting goods, and more.

R&R Market

Established in 1857, R&R Market is truly the oldest continuously operated business in Colorado. Located in the town of San Luis, it was originally opened by pioneer Dario Gallegos. The building has undergone several renovations since then, including a partial rebuild after fires in 1895 and 1945, originally constructed of adobe bricks. The market occupies the first floor, while the second floor is home to rental units, which used to comprise a hotel. The building is a part of the San Luis de la Culebra National Historic District, as San Luis is the oldest inhabited town in Colorado. The store passed down through the family and continued to operate as a general store until 2022. When the owners retired, it changed ownership, underwent extensive rehabilitation, and reopened as the San Luis People's Market, a community food co-operative.

Chautauqua General Store

The Chautauqua General Store, a cute cottage-style building with a cozy front porch, is on the grounds of the Colorado Chautauqua. This facility is part of the historic Chautauqua Movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which focused on gatherings for adult education and cultural enrichment, like an adult summer camp. The Colorado Chautauqua is a National Historic Landmark and has continuously operated with its original structures that date back as far as 1898. The general store offers grab-and-go provisions, Chautauqua-branded merchandise, locally made goods, and souvenirs. They also have an ice cream counter serving locally made ice cream, and an espresso bar with fresh pastries and sandwiches. Just outside is the recently reconstructed outdoor pavilion, called the Chautauqua Café, originally built in the late 1800s and reconstructed using historic photos.

Green Mercantile Store

Located in Buffalo Creek, a small mountain town that was established in 1877, Green Mercantile Store has been a local fixture since its founding. John W Green built the store in the 1880s and ran it as a hotel and general store until a fire destroyed the building in 1897. A year later, Green rebuilt it as a two-story granite structure. This iteration of the building housed the local post office on the first floor and a community meeting hall on the second floor. It also served as the ticket office for the Colorado and Southern narrow-gauge railroad until it ceased operation in 1938. The site, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, still contains many original fixtures, like the 14-foot pressed tin ceiling. The store remains under family ownership and continues to sell general merchandise and operate as the community's post office.

Silverton General Store

Established in 1874, Silverton was a mining boomtown in the San Juan Mountains. Today, the town is a National Historic Landmark District and contains several historic buildings, like the Mayflower Gold Mill and the Victorian Grand Imperial Hotel. Built in 1880, the community's general store was the town's first commercial masonry structure. In the 1890s, the general store became the Iron Mountain Saloon. After that, the owners turned it into an ice cream parlor with an attached liquor store in the early 1900s. The building stayed vacant for a 19-year span until new ownership purchased the site and turned it into the Pickle Barrel in 1971, which remains open today. The stonework on the interior and exterior of the building offers a historic appeal to what is now a family-friendly restaurant.

Glen Haven General Store

Glen Haven is a tiny mountain town located just outside Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounded by Roosevelt National Forest. The location makes it an off-the-beaten-path stop favored by hikers, anglers, and picnickers. Driving to the area involves traveling the scenic and winding Devil's Gulch Road, which provides gorgeous mountain views. The Glen Haven General Store, one of the few businesses in town, was built in the early 1920s and has remained open ever since. Today, the family-owned business is famous for its cinnamon rolls, which they have been baking fresh daily since 1981. Other homemade offerings include fruit cobbler and sandwiches on homemade buns, along with cold drinks, beer, ice cream, candy, snacks, and souvenirs.

Redstone General Store

John Cleveland Osgood, one of the elite industrialists known as the Robber Barons, built Redstone as a utopian coal town with a 22,000 square foot Tudor-style castle and a planned community for the workers. The town consisted of the Redstone Inn for the bachelor workers, 88 cottages for families, a clubhouse, and a school. Unlike other mining towns, there were no brothels, and workers could only drink alcohol in the clubhouse. Originally opened at the turn of the 20th century to support the needs of the coal miners, Redstone General Store remains integral to its local community. Like a classic general store, they supply community members and tourists with a wide variety of goods. They serve ice cream by the scoop, coffee, baked goods, groceries, outdoor gear, bulk candies, and alcohol. In addition, the owners make a point of partnering with the area's farmers, craftspeople, and artists to sell locally sourced products such as bread, produce, and dairy.

Columbine General Store

The town of Columbine, within the Routt National Forest, is on the Register of National Historic Places. It was officially laid out in 1897, but the Columbine General Store and a handful of cabins built in 1880 predate the town's actual founding. With the 1881 discovery of gold in the region, the "Columbine Stampede" took off, bringing hordes of miners to seek their riches. The town remains well preserved to this day and operates as a resort with the historic cabins transformed into guest accommodations. The general store still houses the original 1905 post office, a mini-museum, and the cabin rental office. Still an authentic general store, they serve guests with hot and cold drinks, hand-scooped ice cream, snacks, camping essentials, and souvenirs.

A Historic Experience

Colorado's fascinating general stores offer a unique view into the state's rugged history and remote beauty while remaining relevant today. Visitors to Columbine can grab an ice cream cone and learn about the area's gold rush history. At Glen Haven, couple the spectacular mountain scenery with a homemade cinnamon bun. At Chautauqua, step into a distinct historic atmosphere while picking up some souvenirs. Each store has something special to offer above and beyond its old-timey charm.