Today, the Original Store in Valle Crucis is the patriarch of this family of stores. The Original Mast General Store is located in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. First opened in 1883 by Henry Taylor, the Mast Family bought in as partners in 1897. Early in the 20th century, W. Mast bought out the remaining interest in the store. For the next 60+ years, it was owned and operated by the Mast Family. I
n the early 1970s, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of the best remaining examples of an old country general store. Also during that time, it was sold out of the Mast Family to a series of owners. Eventually, the store closed in the winter of 1977. The thought was to re-open in the spring, but that just didn't happen. In 1979, the store was purchased by a young family who moved into its second and third floor - like general store merchants of old. Through hard work, fair prices, quality goods, and friendly service (you might also want to throw in a bit of luck), the trip off the beaten path to find the store became one that many were willing to make. Since its re-opening in 1980, the store has grown into a family of stores, which include:
The Original Store in Valle Crucis, NC
The Mast Store Annex (just 2/10 mile down the road from the Original Store)
Mast Store - Boone (630 West King Street, Boone, NC)
Mast Store - Waynesville (63 North Main Street, Waynesville, NC)
Mast Store - Hendersonville (527 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC)
Mast Store - Asheville (15 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC)
Mast Store - Greenville (111 North Main Street, Greenville, SC)
Mast Store - Knoxville (402 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN)
Mast Store - Columbia (1601 Main Street, Columbia, SC)
Mast Store - Winston-Salem (516 North Trade Street, WInston-Salem, NC)
Mast Store - Roanoke (401 South Jefferson Street, Roanoke, VA)
Each location is just like a family member - a little the same, a little different, and each with its own personality. All locations are in revitalized buildings, with the oldest dating back to the 1870s.
