Brown & Hopkins Country Store
Standing along Putnam Pike in the center of Chepachet, Brown & Hopkins Country Store is recognized as the oldest continuously operating country store in the United States. The building was constructed in 1799 by Timothy Wilmarth as a residence and hattery, where hats were made and sold. In 1809, Ira Evans purchased the property and converted it into a general store. It has remained in continuous operation ever since, serving generations of Chepachet residents while becoming one of the village’s most enduring landmarks.
During the nineteenth century, a general store was an essential part of village life. Before automobiles, supermarkets, and shopping centers, residents depended upon stores such as this one for food, fabric, tools, clothing, household supplies, and news from beyond the community. Customers once came through these doors to purchase such practical goods as molasses, long underwear, suspenders, rifles, and other necessities. The store was also an informal gathering place where neighbors exchanged news, discussed local events, collected their mail, and maintained the relationships that connected a rural community.
The business passed through several owners before James Brown and William Hopkins became partners in 1921. They placed their names on the store, creating the identity that has remained for more than a century. Brown and Hopkins operated the business together until 1964, when it was purchased by Roscoe and Lillian Steere. Other owners followed, each becoming part of the long succession of shopkeepers responsible for keeping the store open.
Although the merchandise has changed, much of the character of the old general store survives in its wooden counters, shelves, beams, uneven floors, and other features shaped by generations of customers. Barrels of molasses, rifles, suspenders, and long underwear have been replaced by gifts, gourmet foods, candles, seasonal decorations, home furnishings, and old-fashioned candy. The store has adapted to the needs and interests of modern customers without losing its connection to the past.
In 2024, Chepachet natives Cynthia and Scott Barlow purchased the building and business, becoming its twentieth owners. For Cynthia, ownership represented the fulfillment of a childhood dream. She had grown up visiting Brown & Hopkins and buying penny candy at its counter. Her return as an owner continued the store’s close relationship with the people of Chepachet.
Brown & Hopkins is located within the Chepachet Village Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Its continued operation preserves something that cannot be captured by historic architecture alone. This is not a former country store reconstructed to resemble the past. It is a living business that has adapted to each generation while continuing to welcome customers into the same building that became a general store in 1809.
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