Priddy’s General Store

Posted on by Stephen Edwards

Danbury, North Carolina

I have no way of remembering the first time I walked into Priddy’s General Store.  Let me rephrase that: I probably did not walk into the general store, since the first time I visited, I was a baby or a small toddler. Priddy’s General Store has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. It is a place I associate strongly with my grandfather. We would stop for a drink and a snack, then sit and visit for a little while. My grandfather would often get vanilla wafer cookies that were in a gold foil package.  I usually would try something a little different. Priddy’s General Store is a place that I still stop at whenever I head back home, and I’ve enjoyed introducing my sons to this place that means so much to me. The store is always special to me as it provides a place for the community to come together. In North Carolina, Priddy’s General Store is the second-oldest continuously operating general store in the state. I never thought much about the store’s history when I lived a couple of miles away, but it is something I definitely think about now whenever I go back to visit. There are several items of merchandise at Priddy’s General Store that are hard to find elsewhere, especially in places that aren’t general stores. Whether it is Pointer Overalls, Nehi Drinks, or a bologna sandwich with a slice of hoop cheese, Priddy’s General Store is the place to find some more nostalgic merchandise.

There is no way to know how many bologna-and-cheese sandwiches have been made in this store over the years. Priddy’s General Store makes a special point of carrying products that are locally made or grown.
The original wood floor is visible from the back of the store. There is bound to be some merchandise that appeals to most shoppers in the store. The one thing to remember about the store is that it is popular with tourists; it primarily serves the local community. The top center of this photo includes a tobacco planter. Tobacco was the cash crop for most farmers who were patrons of the store throughout its history.

Priddy’s General Store is usually pretty busy when open, and people will come through as part of the tourist trade in this part of North Carolina. Thanks to the Sauratown Mountains and the Dan River, people have long come to Stokes County for rest and recreation. A short five-minute trip from downtown encourages people to come out to the store, which has been run in the same location by the same family since 1888. The store has been featured in Our State Magazine and in numerous news articles and documentaries. The store even served as a movie location for Cabin Fever, a cult classic horror movie from 2002.

In June 2024, I hosted a group of agricultural teachers on a tour of Stokes County’s agriculture and natural resources. The teachers are pictured with Jane Priddy Charleville, the current owner and store manager of Priddy’s General Store. The entire family is my cousins, as my grandmother’s maiden name was Priddy. I grew up just a little over three miles from here, on part of the Priddy homeplace that the family settled on when they came to present-day Stokes County.

It was great to have an institution like Priddy’s General Store in the place where I grew up. If you’re traveling through a small town, you can often find an older store, take the time to go in, show it some patronage, and appreciate the generations of people who keep the business’s legacy going strong. As for me, I’m sure I’ll stop in while I’m back home. I’ll probably buy some kind of snack and drink I do not necessarily need, but walking through the front door brings back so many memories. As I have aged, I realize that the people I remember probably had similar memories of the people they saw at the store when they were children. If you are in Danbury, stop by anytime between Monday and Saturday (the store is closed on Sundays). I encourage you to drop in and enjoy the ambiance of the 137-year-old store. If you are fortunate enough to be present for a Pickin’ at Priddy’s Event, stop in and enjoy the music, too, which usually includes live bluegrass music and a festive atmosphere. Priddy’s General Store has always held a special place in my life, and it goes to show you that some of the best travel gems might just be right down the road from your front door.

Wyatt and Henry are in front of Priddy’s General Store in November 2025. We stopped by for a drink and a snack after hiking up Moore’s Knob. Priddy’s General Store has long been a favorite among visitors to Hanging Rock State Park.
This picture from December 2023 shows the store dressed up for Christmas. The Coca-Cola and Pepsi signs are originals. I remember as a kid spending time on this front porch.

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