Long before the days of Walmart, Costco, Home Depot and Cracker Barrel, the General Store served the needs of communities throughout the country by providing the essentials for daily life. Eventually most of these one-stop shops would disappear as malls and big box stores became the favored places to shop.

An old wooden building with an old gas pump and two newspaper machines with a rusty sign above the door saying Mast General Store — Mast General Store takes you back in time the moment you drive up to it, with its old gas pump and rusty old sign over the door.

Today, when you’re on a road trip you might find a few of these vestiges of the past along the way. General Stores may not be the same as they once were, but they still provide a unique shopping experience, often sold alongside a lesson (or two) in history.

U.G. White Mercantile in Athens, AL

A simple white sign with a classic Coca-Cola logo sits above the awning at the entrance to one of the oldest businesses on the square in Athens. For more than 100 years, U.G. White Mercantile has offered a wide array of “provisions” to its customers

big open room of a general store with second floor surrounding it. — Today’s U.G. White store in Athens, AL is part of downtown revival. The store features a wide array of items ranging from clothing to toys. There is also a coffee shop inside.

Step inside and the large open space between the two levels of retail space instantly has you in awe. U.G. White offers up everything from cast iron skillets to toys and t-shirts. Scattered among all the items are relics from days gone by like an antique scale and glass cases. You’ll also find a small coffee shop inside this gem of a General Store.

Harrison Brothers Hardware in Huntsville, AL

High rise buildings, bustling streets and a wide variety of businesses surround Harrison Brothers Hardware in downtown Huntsville. In a city known for building rockets, stepping inside this store can make you forget about the space race and think back to the time when customers came in with their hardware needs.

The upper shelves inside Harrison Brothers in Huntsville, AL give you an idea of what the space was like when it was a hardware store. This time capsule of what was “left behind” makes shopping here quite unique.

Today, old boxes of nuts and bolts, cans of oil and hundreds of items line the top shelves. The rest are filled with everything from soaps and teas to jams and jellies. You’ll also find the old safe in the back and a handmade quilt containing dozens of signatures of well-known people like Dr. Suess and Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are). The Historic Huntsville Museum and a room filled with items made by local artisans and craftsmen fill up the other side of the building.

While you can certainly shop at Harrison Brothers Hardware you can also check out a quilt with dozens of autographed squares including this one from “Where the Wild Things Are” author, Maurice Sendak.

TB Sutton General Store in Granville, TN

Every Saturday night, the sounds of bluegrass music fill an old two story wooden building not far from the shores of Cordell Hull Lake in Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region. The T.B. Sutton General Store in Granville has been around since the 1800s and is now the center of this tiny town. Shop for handmade items, cookbooks, toys from the past or old-fashioned candies. Grab a fried bologna sandwich for lunch and on Saturday nights, get dinner and a seat at the Sutton Old Time Music Hour radio show. Granville prides itself on being Tennessee’s “Mayberry” town so plan on visiting the museums attending one of the many festivals throughout the year.

People gather outside an old store at night — Old-time music on the weekends draws big crowds to the T.B. Sutton General Store in Granville, TN.

R.M. Brooks Store in Rugby, TN

Did you know there is a Victorian Community on the Cumberland Plateau? Rugby, was set up as a utopian experiment for members of the England’s “second sons.” Ultimately, the experiment failed, but what’s left is a unique and well preserved slice of British life in East Tennessee.

A sign saying Welcome to Historic Rugby 1880s British-American Village and Gateway to Big South Fork — British and Appalachian cultures come together in the tiny town of Rugby, TN.

Just beyond the historic village is a slice of true Americana, the R.M. Brooks Store. With it’s antique Gulf Oil sign and gas pump, worn wooden white frame and black letters painted along the top, it’s easy to think you’ve gone back in time when you approach the store. Step inside and that feeling becomes even more pronounced. Browse through the antiques or step up to the counter and get a sample of hoop cheese. No matter what you choose R.M. Brooks makes a perfect stop on a road trip.

Customers place an order at the counter of an old general store in East Tennessee — Customers at R.M. Brooks Store in Rugby, TN can get a sample of “hoop cheese” or order up a fried bologna sandwich.

Mast General Store (original in Valle Crucis, NC)

Tucked into a narrow valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina sits an old wooden store that’s been a part of the Valle Crucis community since the mid 1800s. After weathering a host of ownership and name changes and a brief closure, Mast General Store has since thrived and become the heart of many other communities across the Southeast. The original Mast General Store really gives nostalgic vibes and it is unlike any of the other Mast Stores. Shoppers find delight in browsing through the barrels of candy, perusing the racks of clothing and finding supplies for outdoor adventures.