Stores did not have a big variety of food and clothes. The size of the store was not very big, maybe about the size of a classroom. The stores would have a backroom where they kept extra supplies especially during the winter.

Some of the things the pioneers might have bought at the general store were: coffee grinders, rugs, clothing, bedding, cooking stoves, baby cradles, sets of dishes, candles, lanterns, butter molds, and food.

They also might have purchased tools there like animal traps, anvils, hoes, hammers, hatchets, shovels, axes, grinding stones, ropes, and other tools.

The general store would also have items for children like toys, dolls, jump ropes, marbles. The store had items like family bibles, books, cloth, ribbons, buttons, and more.

The general store was like a gathering place for people in the town. They would meet there to talk about things, to find out news, and maybe to even play a game of checkers with the storekeeper or a neighbor.