The Brick Store, at 21 Lisbon Road in

Bath, New Hampshire Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2020 census, unchanged from the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and commuter town for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architectu ...

, claims to be the oldest continuously operating general store in the United States.The Brick Store's website
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History

The initial construction date of this brick two-story structure is uncertain, and was claimed to be 1804 by a 1937 reference work. Its predominantly

Federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

styling supports a date in this timeframe. It is known through other documentation to have been standing in 1814, and was damaged by fire in 1824. Repairs at that time probably included the addition of

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

elements to the building's exterior. Although numerous Federal-style brick buildings were built in Bath, this is the only commercial one to survive. The building was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1985. Located on the

Ammonoosuc River The Ammonoosuc River is a river in northwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. ''Ammonoosuc'' is Abnaki for "small, narrow fishing place". The Ammonoosuc ris ...

, the store is one of the most well-known landmarks of northern New Hampshire. Not only does it sell groceries, gas, and beer, at one time it was a place where customers could drop off UPS packages and dry-cleaning, and pick up mail. It is famous for its buttermilk donuts, smoked meats, fudge, and fudge-covered meats. The store is especially well known for its smoked cheese and smoked pepperoni. The store is a regular stop on the presidential campaign trail; candidate

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

visited the store on May 28, 2007, with his daughters. Due to a combination of a poor economy generally, and the loss of local customers to major chain stores, the store suffered financially in the early 2000s. The closing of the Bath Covered Bridge for 20 months in 2012-2014 further hurt business. The store was sold at auction in July 2016 for $235,000. The new owners renovated the store with an eye to historic appropriateness, and it was re-opened in July 2017.

References

External links

The Brick Store official website
{{NRHP in Grafton County, New Hampshire Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hampshire Federal architecture in New Hampshire Commercial buildings completed in 1790 Buildings and structures in Grafton County, New Hampshire Commercial buildings in New Hampshire Tourist attractions in Grafton County, New Hampshire 1790 establishments in New Hampshire National Register of Historic Places in Grafton County, New Hampshire Bath, New Hampshire

History

See also

References

External links