Nation’s Oldest General Store Shuts Down
Published at
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(ADAMSVILLE, R.I.) — When Gray’s Store first opened its doors in Adamsville, R.I., George Washington was president. But now as either the 44th president wins reelection or a 45th is chosen, the general store won’t be around.
Unable to compete with larger stores anymore, Gray’s opted to close down on Sunday after 224 years in business.
To say it was a good run would be an understatement; in 2007, it was proclaimed as the country’s oldest continuously run general store.
Jonah Waite, who inherited the store in June after his father passed away from cancer, admitted it was cost prohibitive keeping Gray’s Store open.
Waite, a 21-year-old senior at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, plans on leaving the family’s retail legacy behind to pursue a career in sports journalism. It’ll be up to him to hold onto the property or try to sell it.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio