Original Mast General Store

Cool place to visit. They have a lot of older tools and toys. Prices are a bit high for some goods. I was surprised to learn that there was not as much food items as I thought there would be there.

If you're on vacation in the Boone NC area, this is a fun store for the entire family. From the great assortment of high-quality t-shirts with laughter and smile causing captions to the entire isle of retro toys that had me thinking of my big wheel Era childhood, this store is literally jam packed with wonder. If you like shopping at Cracker Barrel, you will especially enjoy this old-fashioned general store as it appeals to similar themes but is much more unique. I noticed they have a good selection of tasty individual pastry pies at the front counter for sale, I'm told they are made locall, and the Apple pie is so tasty that it sells out rapidly each week. This is a great 30-minute stop and stretch... and shop stop.

This is such a neat store to visit. There are a number of mast stores around but this was the first. There is an entrance and exit and signs directing you thru the parking area which is gravel. Pay attention to the signs. The main store has lots of candy, gift items, household stuff, some clothing. You can get quite a few items with their logo on it. This time when I visited, I shopped in the school house. Everything there is discounted. Lots of shoes, clothing, and socks. There are always some other items and this time it was sheets and towels. I always find a great pair of shoes! A new feature was the Garden Shed. Everything in here would be used outside. Wind chimes, bird feeders, gardening items, etc. If you get the chance visit.

Great little store love the old feel and classic charm lots of treats love to see the Boy Scouts out there selling popcorn to everybody if you love history this is a must for you

I'd never heard of this place before visiting Banner Elk and looking for local things to do. It's a very unique operating general store. It very much reminds me of the old stores I visited as a kid in the 70's which have mostly been torn down now. Is it a tourist trap? Slightly. There's plenty of stuff for tourists and it's definitely set up to sell to them. That being said, there's a lot of history there. There's plenty of unique local items like cheese and such that can be purchased. Overall it's a really cool store that I'd take someone to if I were visiting again. Plan on spending about 30 minutes looking for the normal person. My wife would've probably spent an hour there.

I will never pass through Boone without stopping by the Original Mast Store in Valle Crucis! Amazing old historic store with something for everyone.

I stopped here after I saw a TV commercial one day. Some might say tourist trap, which may be accurate, but they had all things that fall under kryptonite weaknesses for me. Friendly staff. And supposedly the longest functioning post office. Cool place overall.

What a cool store! It's large with lots of neat stuff, including an actual working post office. The Annex down the road has more candy barrels and clothing. Definitely a good stop in this area.

The Original Mast General Store located in Valle Crucis North Carolina is a true gem, and worth a visit! It has been in operation since 1883 and still has the look and feel of a general store from over a century also. Some of the features include candy barrels, old Coca Cola ice chests with cold glass bottled soda, jerky, a shoe store, a toy store, and many more items. The surrounding area by the parking lot is also beautiful! The drive there is through some windy back country roads that are also worth seeing. Do yourself a favor and check this place out if you are in the area!

Very kind individuals and warm atmosphere. There might even be some seasonal holiday magic hiding in here. The General Store is a great place to stop and take a moment to enjoy a simpler time. The area surrounding it is also very accommodating for some relaxation.

This place has real salespeople. I went to purchase a pair of good walking shoes First they measured my foot using the dremmal device. Next they brought out pair after pair until we found a pair that was right. Emma helped me the most
However everyone was very helpful. You don't find customer service everyday 4

If you enjoy a scenic drive and good conversation, it's worth the short drive from Boone to visit the original Mast General Store and Annex. I've been here many times over the years and have always enjoyed the history as well as the friendly service. I keep coming back!

Great stop along the way for the kids. Enjoyed old time soda, fresh popcorn and they all candy from yesteryear you could imagine. Also has a huge selection of knives and offers free knife sharpening.
Very knowledgeable staff

Floors and floors of nostalgia along with some kitschy stuff too that adds to the fun of being there. Everything from knives to hiking and walking stuff for the trekkers on the Appalachian Trail to kids toys and candy.

We've always been a huge fan of the local Mast Store in Greenville, SC so it was great to see the original. It was cool to see all of the history while at the same time having the fun and charm of any Mast location.

great old time store, especially many barrels filled with candy. a unique place with old creaky wooden floors that had a pull up door in the floor.

What a lovely place to spend a few hours! This is a trip down memory lane for many people, and I hope anybody reading this takes the time to visit this historical place. You won't be disappointed, as the store carries everyday goods that we are all familiar with along with many different historical items as well as lots of explanatory plaques and signs about times gone by.

I'm going to see everybody's positive comments and raise you ten times what they said! We love this store and the Annex. Brings a wonderful feeling of nostalgia. I can just walk around and feel the good old days. You look up and see lots of items from the past. The staff might be new to this era but they still show the kindness and consideration from back then. We have never missed going to The Mast General Store every time we visit the area. Can't say enough about this place.

If you've never been, go! This place is a true treasure of American history. Buy an RC Cola in a glass bottle and a Moon Pie and go sit on a picnic table under the shade trees out back and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. Also, they have a fantastic selection of knives, & Seth at the knife desk is a super cool dude to talk blades with! I love this place!

Absolutely love visiting the Original Mast General Store. The employees are so nice and friendly. Mast has so many great treasures and treats just waiting to go home with you. There are other Mast General Stores closer to me, but I love driving the almost 3 hours to come to the Annex and the Original Store. Something about walking into the old store that takes you back in time to a simpler life. On a side note: All their butters/jams/jellies are the absolute BEST!! We always buy jars for our clients and give them for Christmas.