"ST JAMES, New York -- When the bell rings as you walk through the door at the St. James General Store, you're immediately transported not just to another place, but to another time. Not much has changed at the Suffolk County store in its 168 years, and that's exactly the point. "It's pretty iconic as being the longest continuously operated general store in the country. It has never closed its doors," said Stephanie Potts, manager of the store."
"It's a place where penny candy still cost pennies, and where memories, tradition and history line the wall. You feel it, even hear it in every creaking floorboard. "It was a pretty integral part of the community," Potts said. "It was the hub for everything. So you came here to get all of your needs for a typical day in the 19th century.""
"Potts is the buyer and visual coordinator currently keeping the magic alive. "And that's really where the magic is, seeing how excited the kids get to see all these things that we had back in the 1800s," she said. Upstairs at St. James General Store, where celebrations once took place, are books about local history, and maybe a ghost. Madeline Hoffmann has worked at the store for 29 years. She's seen generations grow up in these store aisles."
St. James General Store in Suffolk County has operated continuously for 168 years, maintaining 19th-century prices and atmosphere where penny candy still costs pennies. The store served historically as a community hub supplying everyday needs and retaining traditions and memories across generations. Staff members describe a family-like workplace and take active roles preserving the store's visual character and local-history resources. Visitors encounter creaking floorboards, upstairs books about local history, and occasional tales of a ghost. The store emphasizes slowing down, sharing heritage with children, and sustaining a living connection to the past.
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