General stores fill us with nostalgia and make us think of simpler times. There’s something unequivocally appealing about a shop that has served generations upon generations of customers and still retained plenty of charm. Massachusetts has several historic general stores, but the Wayside Country Store is one that everyone should visit.
You’ll find it at 1015 Boston Post Road, Marlborough —sometimes spelled Marlboro.
Located about 30 miles from Boston, this place offers hard-to-find candy, handmade items, and pickles in a barrel (naturally). If you want to travel through time without the hassle of constructing a flux capacitor that actually works, head out to Marlborough for a historic shopping experience that’s delighted customers for centuries.
Determining the age of a general store is tougher than you might think; after all, some shops have been used for different purposes over their long histories.
Advertisement
The Wayside Country Store is housed in a building that was constructed in 1790. It started out as a general store, but served as a post office and school as well!
As you step inside, the sight of the massive retro candy selection breathes new life into childhood memories and tempts you to create some new candy-centric ones as an adult.
The Old Tyme Candy Shoppe is vast, with treats arranged in glass jars — the sign of a legit, old school candy store. Load up on molasses puffs, candy sticks (cigarettes), and candy necklaces.
The fudge selection features classic flavors like chocolate and ones that scream "try me," such as eggnog. The chocolate display is vast, and no trip would be complete without some ginger snaps.
…kitchen items, soaps, and Christmas decorations check out the heating system! The Wayside Country Store uses a pot-bellied stove for heat, which simply adds to the quaint appeal of an interior space that hasn’t changed much since Henry Ford owned it.
