Whether you grew up in the ‘good old days’ in North Carolina or were born in a more recent decade, a visit to an honest-to-goodness old-fashioned general mercantile store is like stepping into the past. General mercantile stores gained a real foothold in rural communities in North Carolina in the 1800s and few from that era still exist. But Davis General Mercantile is a hidden gem that not only survived the Great Depression and two World Wars, it’s still in the same Davis family as the day it opened its doors in 1890.
Today, this old-time, Mecklenburg County general store is found just inside the I-485 loop around Charlotte. But back in the day when Davis first opened, it was found in the very rural community of Croft.
In fact, when the store first opened in 1890 (this photo is from around 1910), the entire county only had about 42,000 residents. In comparison, recent population estimates for Mecklenberg County put the population at just over one million.
But while Charlotte has grown up all around Davis General Mercantile and the store sits deep within the throes of suburban Charlotte, the store is unchanged with an assortment of merchandise you'd find in any 1890s fully stocked mercantile.
Mercantile stores were — and still are — the go-to spot for anything and everything you'd need around the house and in the cupboards. At Davis, you'll find an assortment of hardware, kitchen items, seed, feed, food, and even clothing.
Visitors also love discovering some Carolina-made items as well. Blenheim Ginger Ale is from neighboring South Carolina and isn't very easy to come by in the Tar Heel State. At Davis, it's available by the bottle, the six-pack, and the case.
Looking for unique gift items for friends or family? How about the latest Farmers' Almanac, a book about Vanishing America featuring Davis General Mercantile, some elk jerky, pimento cheese, or elderberry syrup (said to be perfect for warding off colds and the flu)? Take a walk into the past at Davis and you'll find them all.
Davis General Store has been serving Mecklenberg County for that last 129 years. If you've never had a reason to seek out this awesome piece of history, then don't worry... it's practically just as it was the day it opened!
Davis General Mercantile in Charlotte is open four days per week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Learn more from their up-to-date Facebook page here.
Do you know of other old-time general stores in North Carolina? We’d love to hear about and feature them in an article, too! Feel free to join the conversation!
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