How small-town shops are being reimagined as cafés, community hubs, and showcases of local flavour.
By Maddie Johnson
There’s something undeniably comforting about stepping into a general store. The creak of old wooden floors, shelves lined with everything from local preserves to handmade postcards, and the hum of conversation all speak to a way of life that feels both timeless and nostalgic.
Once the backbone of small towns—a place to gather, trade, and catch up on the news of the day—general stores are experiencing something of a comeback. No longer just a place to pick up the basics, they are becoming destinations in their own right.
So we decided to take a little road trip and see for ourselves.
What we found didn’t necessarily surprise us—it confirmed what we suspected. In today’s fast-moving world, the general store offers something rare: a pause. Some lean into nostalgia, with shelves stocked with simple comforts.
Others have been reimagined as lively hubs for coffee, curated goods and local craft. But at their core, they all share a sense of connection—between past and present, convenience and delight, for locals and visitors alike.
Here in Ontario’s north, this spirit is alive in a handful of general stores that have become much more than shops. They’re gathering spaces, showcases of local flavour, and reasons for us to linger a little longer in the towns they call home.
Whether it’s a café tucked into the back of a century-old building, a hub for hikers and cyclists passing through, or a landmark that has served generations, these stores remind us that sometimes the simplest of places carry the richest of stories.
Nottawa General Store
Nottawa General Store has been a part of the small village since 1864, but in 2021, Christophe Boivin and his wife, Wispy, gave the old red-brick building new life. After more than a year of renovations, they opened the doors to their vision: a general store that’s also a café, art gallery, and gathering space.
“That was always the plan,” Chris says. “We wanted all of those moving pieces working together.”
Today, the shelves carry a mix of local goods—honey, granola, flowers, and candles—alongside the store’s own prepared foods. Chris bakes sourdough and focaccia in-house, with soups, sauces, and ready-made meals filling out the selection.
The café runs all day, with a rotating menu, good coffee, and a wine list that hovers around 50 labels. Out back, a green terrace is buzzing in the summer months; upstairs, the art gallery doubles as an event space for weddings, art shows, and book launches.
“We’ve always been in this industry,” Chris says. “It’s something we wanted to do for a long time, and this building was special.”
That sense of care is obvious. Locals swing by daily, skiers return each winter, and new visitors either hear about it through word of mouth or stumble in by chance. However you arrive, Nottawa General is very clearly more than just a shop—it’s a place to gather, discover new goodies, and come back to again and again.
Kimberley General Store
Set in the heart of the Beaver Valley, Kimberley General Store has been a part of the community since 1905. Stacie Howe and her husband, Justin, revived it in 2010, when the town was still quiet and sleepy.
“Our goal was to provide a space for people to get to know each other,” says Stacie. “You don’t have to go to a community event. You’re just coming in for milk, but you end up bumping into a neighbour.”
That simple idea—meeting people where they are—has turned the store into more than a shop. It’s a café, bakery, and a gathering space that has become the fabric of the community itself.
The shelves are stocked with a thoughtful mix: local provisions, seasonal produce, sauces made in-house by Justin, and their signature organic sourdough bread, baked fresh every day.
As tourism to Beaver Valley has grown, Kimberley General Store has leaned into its role as a community anchor. It’s become a hub for hikers, cyclists, and skiers, while also giving a platform to local farmers and makers.
“We’re not trying to grow, grow, grow,” says Stacie. “We want to stay the size we are, do it consistently, and do it well.”
For visitors, that translates to something rare: a place that feels welcoming without being over-curated, authentic without being outdated. As Stacie says, “What we value here can change people. They can take that sense of peace home with them.
Rosseau General Store
Rosseau General Store has been around for a long time—a really long time, over 150 years—and you feel it as soon as you step through the door. The old floorboards creak under your foot, the shelves seem to stretch into every corner, and yet there’s a fresh energy here, thanks to the Crowe family.
Chris, his wife Sheila, and their son, Oliver, took over in 2023, carrying forward the tradition of this landmark while adding their own touches.
“We didn’t want to see it handed off to just anyone,” says Chris. “The previous owners wanted it to stay a family business, and we feel really lucky to step into that role.”
Today, it’s very much that: Sheila runs the front, Oliver works as a butcher, and Chris handles the operations. Together, they’ve created a store that feels like an extension of their own kitchen.
The shelves are stocked with everything from hardware and household goods to Ontario produce, fresh-baked cookies, lasagna, quiches, and more—made right in-house.
“Good food doesn’t have to be expensive,” Chris says. “We try to make it accessible while still focusing on quality.”
It’s open nearly every day of the year, supporting locals who rely on it as much as cottagers who stop in off the lake. Families lounge on the Muskoka chairs out back, kids run in barefoot for ice cream, and generations cross paths in the well-stocked aisles.
For Chris, that’s the magic: “It slows the pace down. You sit, you have ice cream with your kids, and you feel connected to the community.”
Photography credits: Town + County Collective, Paula Banks, Maddie Johnson