8 Old-Timey General Stores In West Virginia

These eight old-timey general stores are as much a part of West Virginia’s past as coal mines, rolling hills, and Appalachian folk songs, reminding travelers of a simpler time. General stores became indispensable fixtures in rural communities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, offering everything from farming tools and dry goods to gas and a friendly face. They were places where locals could cash in their pay, buy penny candy for the kids, or pick up a jar of blueberry preserves. Today, these stores are living museums of West Virginia’s past with their creaky oak floorboards, weathered tin ceilings, and family legacies spanning generations.

Harper’s Old Country Store (Seneca Rocks)

Harper’s Old Country Store in the rural community of Seneca Rocks is the oldest, continuously operated general store in West Virginia. The store has been owned by the members of the Harper family since 1902. Today, the owner-operator is a great-grandchild of J.M. Harper and represents the fifth generation of Harpers. The old store still displays the original hardwood floor and tinplate ceilings, often used in the construction of stores during the early part of the 20th century, and is full of fascinating personal memorabilia, including a taxidermied West Virginia black bear, killed by a family member in 1983 for attacking his sheep.

Harper’s Old Country Store is committed to supporting local businesses and craftspeople, and the proof is the dozens of goods unique to the area and books on the Mountain State that crowd the store’s original shelves. There are breakfast sandwiches to go for outdoor enthusiasts heading to nearby Seneca Rocks, vintage soda in glass bottles on the store’s porch, and basic general store essentials. Finally, the in-store Front Porch Restaurant features appetizers, salads, and sandwiches for folks who want to stay awhile.

O’Hurley’s General Store (Shepherdstown)

Travelers in West Virginia can find O’Hurley’s General Store on the road between Harpers Ferry and Antietam. It was founded over 100 years ago by Milburn Glenn as a supply shop for local farmers, a grocery store, and a gas station. He ran the store for over four and a half decades. Today, the store is managed by Miburn Glenn’s son, Jay Hurley, who was born in an upstairs room in 1941. The store is divided into different rooms, one resembling a vintage clothing store, another looking like a hardware shop, and a third room full of rocking chairs arranged in front of a fireplace. If visitors pull up a chair and stay long enough, Murphy, the store cat, will likely climb into their lap.

O’Hurley’s has everything from old-fashioned toys and glass cookware to loose leaf tea and vinyl LPs. On Thursday nights, the store hosts live music events. In June 2024, a speeding car ran into the store, closing the store for extensive renovations. The store is now open once again for business.

Old Red Store (Capon Springs)

The iconic Old Red Store is an early 1900s two-story building in the tiny community of Capon Springs that once served as the town’s post office and general store. Located minutes from the historic Capon Springs Resort, a 19th-century resort that attracted affluent tourists from Washington, D.C. for its rumored restorative mineral baths and mountain air, the store was a well-loved landmark to generations of vacationing families whose kids remember stopping at the Old Red Store for popsicles and old-timey candy on their way to the resort. As of May 2025, the well-preserved Old Red Store, the 1.59-acre property it sits on, and an accompanying smokehouse are for sale for $45,000.

The Old Country Store (Cass)

Located in Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, where visitors can travel back in time to experience a time when steam locomotives were as essential to everyday life as general stores, the Old Country Store is a historic landmark in the old company town of Cass. The town was built for loggers who worked hauling lumber by rail from the top of Bald Knob, the third highest peak in the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia.

Cass was founded in 1901 by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, but when the mill and railroad closed in 1960-1961, Cass and the company town were taken over by the state park system. The railroad became a tourist line, and the town was restored to its former glory. Today, the Old Country Store sells souvenirs and houses Shays Restaurant and Soda Fountain.

Sharp’s Country Store (Slaty Fork)

The current building housing Sharp’s Country Store was built in 1926, around the same time the state put in a new road. The family had been selling merchandise since 1884, though, when Luther David Sharp (L.D.) began selling silk scarves and ink to passing travelers from his mother’s bedroom. When the business outgrew the bedroom, L.D. Sharp built a two-story building, which still sits on the property behind Sharp’s Country Store.

The current store has been in the Sharp family for over five generations, selling the essentials of daily life, and at one point gasoline, as evident by the old-school gas pumps and iconic red, white, and blue Esso sign still out front. Today, the store is open seasonally, selling cold drinks, snacks, antique knick-knacks, and souvenirs to visitors in the area. The store is part of a larger property, the historic Sharp Farm of Pocahontas County, which includes several outbuildings, including a cleverly painted barn and a red covered bridge called “Sharp’s Kissing Bridge.”

Lost River General Store and Café (Lost River)

Established in 1898 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lost River General Store is a real gem for fans of old historic stores. Once known as the Lost River Store House, it now operates as the Lost River General Store and Café. The store has modernized over its 100-plus years but hasn’t lost any of its original charm or romantic-sounding name. The store is on the grounds of the pretty Inn at Lost River, a restored 19th-century farmhouse operating as a bed and breakfast and guest cottages in the Potomac Highlands along the banks of the Lost River.

True to its roots, the cafe and bakery continue to be a community gathering place where residents and visitors meet to enjoy gourmet coffee and tea over breakfast, panini wraps and wine by the glass, sweet treats, and hand-dipped ice cream. The store’s shelves are stocked with American-made goods, arts & crafts, antiques, and locally made jewelry. There’s an old outhouse out front that is a colorful tourist attraction.

Ruddell General Store (Glenville)

The Ruddell General Store is a historic general store in Glenville. It was built in 1890 by William Kerr Ruddell, who purchased the land to build it on for $375. At the turn of the century, the building was one of two general stores in Glenville, selling items such as dry goods and household items. It continued to serve the area as a retail store from 1890 into the 1970s. As the community grew, so did its needs, and the store began stocking washing machines, automotive parts, farming equipment, and clothing.

From 1917 to the late 1920s, the store was renamed the Arnold and Moss General Store, but Ruddell still owned it until he died in 1940. The store remained in the family until 1973, when Ruddell’s son sold the building to the West Virginia Folk Festival. Today, the Ruddell General Store is the Country Store and Museum, dedicated to music, heritage, and Appalachian culture. Various general merchandise once sold at the store from 1890 to 1948 can be viewed in the museum’s collection, as well as over two thousand artifacts, books, and photographs depicting Appalachian culture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Berdine’s Five and Dime (Harrisville)

The historic town of Harrisville in northwestern West Virginia is home to the oldest continuously operating five and dime store in the United States, Berdine’s Five and Dime. Opened in 1908 by K.C. Berdine, who wanted to meet the needs of the community with goods priced at no more than 10 cents each. Like so many general stores of the era, the Berdine family owned and operated the store until selling it in 1983 to the Six Family, who continue to carry the store’s legacy of offering low prices for quality items.

Stepping through the doors of Berdine’s Five and Dime is like being transported back in time. With shelves stocked with books, games, hobby supplies, ornaments, and no end of cute knick-knacks and collectibles, shoppers can easily lose an hour or two just browsing the original display cases full of penny candy and old-timey toys.

West Virginia’s charming collection of eight old-timey general stores offers the perfect nostalgic escape, blending history, culture, and a dash of whimsy. From O’Hurley’s General Store in Shepherdstown, where live music and cozy nooks set the tone, to Sharp’s Country Store in Slaty Fork, proudly showcasing its vintage Esso sign and iconic “Kissing Bridge,” these storied shops invite road trippers to hit the scenic highways. Whether sipping a glass-bottled soda on a porch, browsing quirky antiques, or soaking in Appalachian culture, these delightful destinations promise to leave travelers dreaming of the days when the gas pumps outside the old-timey stores could keep the adventure rolling.