Trip Planner: USA / North Carolina / North Carolina Mountains / Boone / Shopping / Mast General Store

Mast General Store, Boone

4.5

#3 of 21 in Things to do in Boone

Gift & Specialty Shop Shopping

The Mast General Store, located in Historic Valle Crucis, is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as one of the best remaining examples of an old country general store. It is still the center of the community housing the post office (Valle Crucis, NC 28691) and offering coffee for 5¢ on the honor system. There is even a large wood stove you can sit around on cold days swapping stories or playing a game of checkers. It remains true to the old-time general store from the 19th century by offering items that its neighbors might need, as well as products of interest to travelers and other visitors. Today there are nine locations, including the Original Store and Annex, both located in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. The store sells commodities, such as old-time hearth and home goods, outdoor clothing and gear, footwear, work clothes, old-fashioned wind-up toys, regional books and music, honey, and more than 500 varieties of old-fashioned candy.HistoryThe building that would become Mast General Store was constructed in 1882 by Henry Taylor and opened in 1883. W.W. Mast purchased half interest in the store in 1897, and the store was renamed the "Taylor and Mast General Store". In 1913, Mast purchased the remaining half of Taylor's interest, and the business became known as the Mast General Store. The business stayed in the family through three generations until, in 1973, it was sold to a doctor from Atlanta and a professor from Appalachian State University.The business closed its doors in 1977. It would remain closed until John and Faye Cooper purchased and reopened it in June 1980. In 1996, Mast General Store became an employee-owned company.

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Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

235 reviews

Google

4.5

localRN

I live in the area. Mast is my go-to store for Merrill and Chaco shoes. For additional savings check out the little red school-house directly behind the main store. On Saturdays and Sundays they have ... more »
Jill S

Have visited the original Mast General Store and their sister store in Columbia, SC but this was my first time visit to their Boone location. A nice mix of clothing, tableware, kitchen items, pet gift... more »
Jo M

This is the sister store to the one in Valle Cruces. Another Must Stop at! Set up like the Olsen's General Store from Little House. It even has a working post office, with the little dial post boxes. ... more »

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Google

Queen Frumpy

Love, love, love this store! I want one of everything they have. Lol! I spent a good $40-$50 and walked out with very heavy bag of things to decorate my house. The people were sooo helpful and nice. I was carrying a arm full of stuff and one of the workers grabbed me a basket for my things. They have everything from cast iron skillets to soaps, dishes, clothes and candy...can't forget the toys! I bought a rustic soap dish, 3 canisters: coffee, tea and sugar (farmhouse style), bought a sign that says "pets are welcome but children must be on a leash. Bought wicks to make minutes latrines...and a bumper sticker..."wag more, bark less!" and can't remember what all else. They wrapped everything in thick paper and placed into a Mast General Store...got to sample some of their apple crisp desert as well...and bought some of that too! Definitely worth the trip and will be going back!

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Keith Whittington

This is a very unique store and a great place to visit and shop. I just wish they would carry bigger men's sizes. The rest of their merchandise is if nothing else something you will be talking about for a long time. We make several visits a year to one of their stores and always find something we need.

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Bradley Kennedy

love visiting this place. It has modern things but also vintage toys. Love to share things I enjoyed playing with as a child.

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Lorne Kerley

Pretty much a landmark in Boone. Mast General carries camping equipment and gear upstairs and a more stylish collection of clothing downstairs. Prices are a little on the expensive side but they do carry quality goods. They do run some sales and I bought a really nice rain jacket at a very reasonable price. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth they have almost every kind of candy imaginable in their candy store,

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Lori LaWarre

Good shopping in one half. Very cool candy and toy store on the other side. Kids loved picking candy out of barrels.

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