After more than a century and a half serving locals and out-of-towners, Long Island’s oldest shop is suddenly enjoying viral fame. Thanks to a new video from local filmmaker @christianodigital, the historic St. James General Store at 516 Moriches Road is trending on social media for the first time in its long history.
Watch the video below to take a peek inside this living piece of the 19th century.
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A Store That’s Still Open, Still Original
This is no museum. The St. James General Store is still fully operational, stocked with candy, gifts, and handcrafts—many from Long Island artisans. It also still smells like a mix of lavender and aged timber.
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Built in 1857 by Ebenezer Smith, a descendant of Smithtown’s founding family
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Recognized as the oldest continuously operating general store in the United States
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Structurally unchanged since 1894
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Still has its original counters, display cases, tea canisters, coffee grinder, and a potbelly stove
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Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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Includes a functioning post office substation
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Home to the first telephone ever installed in St. James
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Features over 300 antique items displayed throughout the store, including:
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Glass pharmacy bottles
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Old telephones
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Stamp machines
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Shoes and a bugle
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A Hub for Local Life—Then and Now
For nearly two centuries, the store has served as the heart of the community, a place to gather, shop, and socialize. And thanks to the video, that legacy is finding new audiences.
Historic roles and community use:
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Once served as a post office, pharmacy, and general meeting place
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Hosted dances and holiday parties upstairs in the 1800s
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Around 75% of the business comes from Long Island locals
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Staff includes longtime employees—like Pat Rohr, who’s worked there since the 1990s
The Celebrities—and the Ghosts—Who’ve Stopped In
Over the years, the general store has attracted a long list of actors, artists, and public figures. Some even left behind more than memories.
Famous visitors and folklore:
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Visited by Stanford White, Mayor William Gaynor, and the Barrymore family
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Frequented by Buster Keaton, Irving Berlin, Myrna Loy, and James J. Corbett
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Alleged hauntings include ghosts in 19th-century clothing seen by visitors
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An amateur ghost hunter still stops by regularly
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Staff once posted a sign requiring riders on horseback to come inside for mail—so a customer rode her horse into the store
Candy, Crafts, and Peppermint-Wrapped Gifts
While the building itself is historic, the merchandise is what keeps families coming back—and making new memories.
What’s sold today:
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Old-school candy in glass jars: molasses pops, rock candy, taffy, peppermint sticks
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Handmade goods, vintage-style toys, holiday ornaments
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Long Island-produced items: North Fork Potato Chips, preserves, and soaps
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Upstairs includes jewelry, books, maps, Christmas decor, and more
Past and present traditions:
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In the 1960s–70s, storekeepers Andy and Louise Havrisko wrapped every gift with a peppermint stick
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At Christmas, lines to see Santa got so long, he was moved to a shed outside
A Viral Moment That Might Help Save History
Though it now trends online, the store remains rooted in real-world community values. Locals are fiercely protective of it—and hope its moment in the spotlight reminds others why places like this still matter.
Preservation and future:
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Saved in 1990 by a $110,000 grant from New York State
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Owned and operated by Suffolk County Parks Department
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Continues to serve as a link between generations of Long Islanders
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Tour groups from New York City, and even visitors from New Zealand, stop in regularly
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Still doesn’t have its own website or social media presence
Photo: DanTD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
