General stores have long been the heart of rural communities. Often home to the local post office, The General Store was much more than a place to buy your basic supplies. It was a social hub, a community meeting place, the heart of the town. In recent years, general stores across Grey County have been experiencing a renaissance of sorts. The shelves in these re-invented general stores are now stocked with local food, freezers are packed with home-made meals and lunch counters serve amazing lunches and epic cappuccinos. Here’s a list of some of the very best in Grey so you can plan pit stops on your waterfall tour, your cycling route, your fall drive or after your Bruce Trail hike.
Located in the heart of the Beaver Valley, The Kimberley General Store is an eclectic and amazing place. With plenty of bicycle parking and along some of Grey’s most popular cycling routes, you’ll often find a crew of cyclists enjoying the food and the hospitality. With everything from fresh sandwiches and great coffee to their award-winning Chapman's ice cream and Meredith’s ginger milkshakes, kefir and preserves, you’ll find a taste of Grey that you’ll love. The store also recently added a wood-fired pizza oven that is fired up on Friday nights at 5 p.m. Days Out Ontario ranks The Kimberley General Store on the top of their Best Ontario General Stores list. The video below is a great snapshot of what the Kimberley General Store has to offer.
Located on Grey Road 13 in the town of Eugenia Falls, this popular eatery and store attracts cottagers from nearby Lake Eugenia and hikers from the Bruce Trail as it passes by Eugenia Falls. Home to The Pickle Guy, pack your trunk with WOW sauce and hit the highway happy. Great coffee and baked goods also at their on-site cafe.
Like many general stores of old, The Williamsford Pie Company still houses the town’s Canada Post outlet. But now those looking to post a letter are greeted by the smell of fresh baked pies and hot coffee. Serving and selling a long list of fruit and savoury pies, their Highway 6 location also offers cakes, bread, desserts, scones, sandwiches and soup for cottage-bound travelers and locals alike.
Famous for their homemade ice cream selection, this off the beaten path general store is a local treasure. Grab a cone and then head down to the Big Bay pier to skip stones. After all Big Bay is the self-proclaimed stone-skipping capital of Canada. You’ll also find local food, preserves, maple syrup and arts and crafts at the Big Bay General Store.
Inspired by a vision to bring the fresh produce and community atmosphere of a traditional farmer’s market to a store front location, Markdale’s The Market Shoppe offers soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods as well as frozen foods, local JMar meats and gluten free products. Find out more at www.themarketshoppe.com
Located on Grey Road 2, The Ravenna Country Market is a popular stop for cyclists, hikers and drivers and motorcyclists. Famous for their butter tarts, they also serve amazing sandwiches and soup, coffee and espresso and most recently, they’ve added a fresh-pressed juice bar. Have lunch, pack some butter tarts for your friends and bring home some of their amazing in-house made frozen meals – from gourmet pizzas to chicken pot pies.
As authentic as they get, the Holstein General Store is a local institution. Home to the Holstein Canada Post office, you can also get local maple syrup, local baking (including up to 6 kinds of butter tarts) and fresh scooped ice cream here. You can even get your own Holstein ice cream coupon – it’s a long summer and your 10th cone will be free!
