Mast General Store
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mast General Store is a store modeled after the general store concept from the 1800s. Today there are seven locations, including the original store located in Valle Crucis, North Carolina, which is widely recognized as a historical landmark. The store sells commodities, such as old-time hearth and home goods, outdoor clothing and gear, footwear, work clothes, old-fashioned wind-up toys, regional books and music, honey, and more than 500 old-fashioned candies.[1][2]
Contents |
[edit] History
The building, that one would day become the Mast General Store, was built in 1882 by Henry Taylor. W.W. Mast purchased half interest in the store in 1897, and the store was renamed the "Taylor and Mast General Store". In 1913, Mast purchased the remaining half of Taylor's interest, and the business became known, as it is today, as the Mast General Store. The business stayed in the family through three generations until, in 1973, it was sold to a doctor from Atlanta and a professor from Appalachian State University. The business closed it's doors in 1977. It would remain closed until John and Faye Cooper purchased and reopened it in June of 1980.[3] The first franchise was opened in 1988 in Boone. It would be followed by three more stores, for a total of five Mast General Stores in North Carolina. A Waynesville location opened in 1991, Hendersonville in August 1995, Asheville in 1999. March 2003 would see the first opening of a store outside of North Carolina, with a store opened in Greenville, South Carolina. The seventh, and newest, Mast General Store was opened in August 2006 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
[edit] Historical Recognition
The Valle Crucis Mast General Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3rd, 1973.[4]. North Carolina has recognized the valley in which it is located as the first Rural Historic District.[5] It also won the L. Vincent Lowe, Jr. Business Award from Preservation North Carolina in 1998. This award is given to businesses that make special efforts to assist and/or promote historic preservation in North Carolina[6]
[edit] Green Power
The Mast General Store committed to purchasing 3.6 million kilowatt-hours per year of "Green Energy" in 2006. Traditional fossil fuel would create 750,000 pounds of carbon dioxide to generate the same amount of electricity. This commitment was part of a campaign by NCGreenPower to expand the use of renewable energy in North Carolina.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ City of Knoxville Press Release on the site of City of Knoxville. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ Roadfood.com Review on the site of Roadfood. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ Mast General Store on the site of Mast General Store. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places on the site of National Register of Historic Places. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ Mast General Store on the site of Sherpa Guides. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ Preservation NC Honor Awards Winners on the site of Preservation North Carolina. Accessed 21 February 2007.
- ^ Mast Store launches Green Power Plan on the site of Watauga Democrat. Accessed 21 February 2007.
