INTRO

When you’re on a road trip, there’s no more welcoming sight than a good country store. You can fill your gas tank, get a fresh cup of coffee, stock up on camping supplies, fill the cooler with beer and pop, maybe even get a hot meal before getting back on the highway.

Luckily for travelers, Grant County has an abundance of prime country stores, each with its own unique flavor. We set out on a road trip of our own to sample them all, along with one or two others in neighboring counties, and they did not disappoint.

Each one is a little bit different, but they all had one thing in common: They’re staffed by friendly folks who stand ready to help you on your journey, whether by refueling your rig, restocking your food box, filling your empty stomach, slaking your thirst or sharing nuggets of local knowledge about the best places to hunt, fish or camp.

So as you set out on your travels through Grant County, take time out for a pit stop at one of these rustic gems. Even if you don’t really need anything, you’ll be glad you stopped by.

NAME: Dale Store

LOCATION: Highway 395 North in Dale, just south of the Umatilla County line

HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-421-3484

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: The little store has a small but surprisingly varied selection of camp food staples such as canned meat, beans, chili, stew, marshmallows, peanut butter and jelly, bread, mac and cheese, eggs and pancake mix; propane; an assortment of snacks and candy; as well as ice, cold beer and soda, and even a small freezer stocked with ice cream treats

CLAIM TO FAME: During rafting season, the Dale Store operates a car-shuttle service between a nearby put-in point on the North Fork of the John Day River and the takeout at Monument

ETC.: The store also serves as the community post office

DALE STORE

Located on a long, lonely stretch of Highway 395 between Long Creek and Ukiah, Dale (pop. 4) is one of the most isolated communities in Grant County. As a consequence, the Dale Store has evolved to serve a wide variety of needs.

Not only does it have a couple of gas pumps out front, it also offers propane, ice, hot coffee, cold beer and soda, ice cream, and a small but varied assortment of groceries. It even houses the local post office.

The post office dates back to 1891, when it was moved from the southern Umatilla County community of Dorman, according to “Oregon Geographic Names,” and has occupied a corner of the store since 1929, when the current store building was erected.

Current owners Butch and Charlene Phelps took charge of the store on April 1, 2001, when they began a midlife second act. With their kids grown up, the longtime Aloha residents decided to shut down their businesses (Butch had a front-end alignment shop, Charlene did upholstery) and move to Dale.

The Phelpses had been hunting in the area for 28 years and had struck up an acquaintance with the owners, Gary and Sandy Thompson. The Thompsons were ready to retire, and the deal to purchase the Dale Store was sealed with a handshake.

“We’ve never regretted the move,” Charlene said.

“It was a dream come true to be on the other side of the counter.”

The store remains a meeting place for hunters, who stop by to stock up on supplies and swap stories with Butch and Charlene. There’s a “wall of fame” covered with decades’ worth of hunting photos left behind by customers, and the store is packed with the Phelpses’ hunting trophies — mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn and bear heads adorn the walls, a stuffed goose, owl and pheasant perch atop the shelves, and a standing bear guards one corner.

But the main attraction is the cougar. Housed in its own glass and wood display case, the big cat is mounted in mid-leap, exploding off its hind legs and swatting at a brace of chukars it has seeming just flushed.

All of the animals were taken by Butch, Charlene or their two sons.

“It’s a family affair,” Butch said.

The store also serves rafters by operating a car shuttle service between a popular put-in on the North Fork of the John Day River and a takeout point in Monument.

“You never know who or what’s going to come in the door,” Charlene said. “That’s part of the fun of the job.”

“I enjoy hearing people’s stories,” added Butch.

After 21 years of operating a country store, however, it’s the Phelpses’ turn to retire. Now in their 70s, they plan to move to La Grande to be closer to grandkids and medical care.

They put the Dale Store on the market back in December, and now they’re just waiting for a buyer they can pass the torch to.

“It’s going to take a certain couple,” Charlene said, speaking from experience. “She will need to be OK with living in the middle of nowhere with no mall around.”

NAME: Bear Valley Store

LOCATION: 209 Barnes Ave. (Highway 395), Seneca

HOURS: 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-5p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-542-9309

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Cold beer, soda, and other beverages; cold and hot deli with sandwiches made fresh daily; snacks, chips, basic grocery items, ice cream; assorted fishing and camping gear, toilet paper, paper plates, charcoal and propane

CLAIM TO FAME: Fresh food and fresh sandwiches made daily; homemade lemonade made from Meyer lemons

ETC.: If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the shelves of the Bear Valley Store, a quick jaunt up the street takes you to Grandma’s Truck N’ Kitchen for a full menu of homemade foods and desserts

BEAR VALLEY STORE

Bailey Moss has worked at the Bear Valley Store for about a year, providing Seneca’s 166 residents with everything they need to stock their homes and a place to grab those last-minute essentials before heading out on a fishing or camping expedition.

Moss says that the store’s sandwiches — made fresh every day, along with homemade lemonade courtesy of store owner Melvin Herberger — are a major hit with customers. Moss also stressed that if there is something a customer needs and but can’t find, owners Melvin and Sandy Herberger will do their best to accommodate them.

“The store owners will do whatever they can to help their customers,” she said.

NAME: Burnt River Market

LOCATION: 304 Main St. (Highway 26), Unity

HOURS: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-446-3660

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Beer, soda and other beverages; ice, liquor store; fuel, including off-road diesel; snacks, chips and candy; hunting licenses, fishing licenses; propane; cabin for rent; full cafe menu

CLAIM TO FAME: Only store/cafe for 50 miles in each direction; renowned for their hamburgers

ETC: If you’ve found yourself in need of rest and are in Unity, you can park your RV in the RV park adjacent to the market or have a stay in one of the seven rooms in the motel. If neither of those lodging options fit your tastes, a stay in the market’s rental cabin is also an option.

BURNT RIVER MARKET

Burnt River Market owners Cathy and Daryl Eldred have been at the helm of the establishment since 2012. First opened in 1999, Burnt River Market is the only general store and cafe for 50 miles in any direction once you enter the small town of Unity.

Store manager Sara Hagopian said that dynamic means the store has to be versatile in offering a diverse assortment of goods for its customers.

“It’s a little bit of everything around here,” she said.

“We do gas, propane, we have off-road diesel, we’re the liquor store, we have the cafe — we have a full menu in the cafe, we’re your local fish and game. We kind of do a little bit of everything,” she added.

Hagopian said Burnt River Market doesn’t carry any products that you couldn’t find anywhere else, but added that the store’s location makes for a unique circumstance.

“I wouldn’t say there is anything you can just find here,” she said.

One thing you will find at Burnt River Market that you might not expect to see in a roadside store: hunting and fishing licenses.

“A lot of people don’t know that we have the fishing licenses here, that we can do that for you — we are a subagent for them,” Hagopian said.

“Fishing and hunting both — we can issue you your licenses and we can look up your tags and issue your tags for hunting.”

NAME: Austin House Cafe

LOCATION: 75805 Highway 26, Austin Junction

HOURS: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays, 8 a.m.-8p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays

PHONE: 541-448-2526

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Ice, fuel, canned goods and dried fruits; beer and wine sales in bar; small assortment of camping and medical supplies such as lip balm and sunscreen

CLAIM TO FAME: Cafe environment provides a warm feeling that reminds patrons of home, according to owner Mindi Shelton

ETC: Full breakfast and lunch menu; dinner features a single entree; huckleberry ice cream and homemade pies sold by the slice; bar serves beer and wine; campsites behind main building

AUSTIN HOUSE CAFE

The Austin House Cafe is not a country store in the usual sense, but it offers a welcome respite for weary travelers between Prairie City and Baker City.

Owner Mindi Shelton said the cafe, located at the junction of Highways 7 and 26, is known for its welcoming environment.

Patrons can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner at the establishment or gas up before continuing on their journey. The cafe has a full breakfast and lunch menu with a single entree for dinner.

For a trip into America’s frontier past, pay the bar in the Austin House a visit. The carved wooden bar was built in the 1860s in Chicago and shipped around the horn of South America and up the West Coast before being unloaded at a port in Oregon and shipped via wagon to its destination.

Shelton said the Austin House doesn’t have a full grocery store but does offer a small selection of products that cater to campers and bicyclists who may need a few last-minute items before continuing to their destinations.

Those looking to stay awhile can camp overnight at one of the campsites behind the building.

NAME: Dayville Mercantile

LOCATION: 207 Franklin St. (Highway 26), Dayville

HOURS: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. seven days a week

PHONE: 541-987-2133

FUEL: No

THE BASICS: Cold beer and soda; canned goods and dry goods; liquor; milk, eggs, bacon, orange juice; an ATM machine; antiques; homemade candy and baked goods; fossils; souvenirs

CLAIM TO FAME: One of the oldest continuously run general stores in Oregon, founded in 1896

ETC: An old dance hall from the 1950s occupies the second floor; free coffee for visitors

Owners Scott Knapp and his father, Donald Knapp, acquired the historic Dayville Mercantile in 2019 and since then have been loving caretakers of the oldest continuously run general store in the state. They are the 10th owners of the store, which was founded in 1896.

The Merc is an attraction for visitors to the region, with something for all ages. Youngsters can break open a geode and old-timers can come in and reminisce about the past, with a variety of antiques for sale including a vintage stagecoach used for children in the late 19th century, as well as decor and furnishings from the time of the Oregon Trail days.

The place has a distinctively Old West feel, with a period facade resembling a frontier town running along one side of the parking lot to add to the atmosphere.

“I told my crew it’s not about how much money you make, but it’s about the experience someone has, and ultimately that is something we focus on,” Scott Knapp said. “Taking people back in time for just a moment is the key.”

Knapp says the store has a focus on locally made products, with meat from Russell’s in John Day and Hill’s in Pendleton and a selection of breads from the John Day Valley and sandwiches from local Mennonites.

NAME: Dayville Mini Mart

LOCATION: 100 E. Franklin Ave. (Highway 26), Dayville

HOURS: 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-987-2411

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Cold beer, soda, wine, milk, eggs, orange juice, cheeses

CLAIM TO FAME: Clean store and clean bathrooms

ETC: Town gathering place to talk and check up on people.

Dayville Mini Mart manager Cami Clark said she loves her job because there’s never a shortage of visitors and their stories, such as the bicyclists and motorcyclists who tell of their travels.

Clark said the business also serves as a meeting place for local residents to come, talk and check up on friends.

“The locals will come in and we all sit and talk to each other,” she said. “It’s a tight-knit little community here. Someone will say, ‘Hey, I haven’t seen such and such,’ and another will say, ‘I just saw him two days ago,’ and ‘Will you let him know I’m checking in on him’ and ‘What do they need’ or ‘Let’s get food for them.’ They take care of each other down there. It’s a meeting place for the locals.’

The store offers basics and convenience store staples such as milk, eggs, water, beer and wine, cold drinks, snacks like chips and beef jerky, cigarettes, chewing tobacco and bathroom goods.

Other stops catering to weary travelers in Dayville include Twisted Treasures Café and Gnarly Goods, 150 E. Franklin St., and the Dayville Cafe at 212 Franklin St.

Twisted Treasures Café and Gnarly Goods is a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch, coffee, espresso, ice cream shakes and cones, and draft beer from 1188 Brewing Co. in John Day, including growler fills, as well as a gift shop selling art and handcrafted goods.

The Dayville Cafe is a full-service restaurant owned by the Van Tassel family, with cooking by Greg Van Tassel. Repeat customers have spread the word about the restaurant’s famous signature pies. Van Tassel has experimented with hundreds of different flavors and serves about 20 fresh pies a day. Deanne Van Tassel, Greg’s wife, greets guests “with witty humor and great customer service,” according to the restaurant’s website. The cafe serves a hearty breakfast and lunch menu.

NAME: Long Creek Mercantile

LOCATION: 105 Highway 395 North in Long Creek

HOURS: 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays; cafe open 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-421-3332

FUEL: No

THE BASICS: Ice, cold drinks, beer and wine, milk, eggs, dairy, produce, frozen foods, an ATM, cigarettes and chewing tobacco

CLAIM TO FAME: Farm-to-table beef from Circle V Ranch in Fox Valley

ETC: In addition to groceries, supplies and gifts, the Long Creek Mercantile offers a welcoming cafe for the family open six days a week

The Long Creek Mercantile wants you to know it has you covered.

Owners Dan and Antonia Kreamier acquired the century-old store a little over a year ago, and since then have opened an in-store cafe and added gift-shopping opportunities to purchase store-branded apparel and even homemade jams, spreads and lip balms from local producers. The diner serves breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week (it’s closed on Thursdays).

“The previous owners owned it for 10 years,” Dan Kreamier said. “We bought it from them. since we bought it been doing renovations

The diner and grocery store both feature locally grown beef from the Circle V Ranch in Fox Valley. Elsewhere in the store, you can find hardware and kitchenware, milk, eggs, dairy, fresh produce and even more goods such as camping and fishing supplies, medicine and office supplies.

During the summer, 70% of the people coming in are travelers and tourists, according to Dean.

“We have a welcoming, friendly environment with a lot of repeat customers because of the environment we create,” he said.

Additional dining options are available directly across the highway at a food cart called the Chuckwagon, and gas can be found just down the way at the OK Garage.

NAME: Boyer’s Cash Store

LOCATION: 335 John Day St. (just off Highway 402), Monument

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week

PHONE: 541-934-2290

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Sells fresh produce, milk, eggs, bacon, frozen meats, juice, frozen foods, beer, wine and liquor.

CLAIM TO FAME: Owned by three generations of Boyers, with historical photos lining the walls of the store (opened in 1927 as a Red and White Store and reopened in 1927 as Boyer’s Cash Store)

ETC.: Owner Jerry Boyer loves fishing, so the store carries a selection of fishing supplies for customers

BOYER’S CASH STORE

When people come into Boyer’s Cash Store in Monument and tell owner Jerry Boyer his store is in the middle of nowhere, he is quick to correct them.

“People always come in and say this is the middle of nowhere and I tell them, ‘No it’s not, it’s the center of everything; if you’re here, it’s the center,’” he said.

For the past 42 years, the store has been the center of everything for Jerry Boyer. The store was started by his grandfather, J. Dempsey Boyer, before being passed down to Jerry’s father, John Stanley Boyer, and eventually to Jerry, who has worked steadily behind the counter for the past 42 years.

Hanging on the walls are pictures of the establishment’s previous owners as well as photographs of the store from the 1930s and ‘40s. The business was originally named the Red and White Store and was part of a national association of independent grocery stores that carried Red and White-brand products.

“(J. Dempsey Boyer) was managing the Red and White Store and it went broke, and he changed the name to Boyer’s Cash Store,” said Jerry, who added the new name was probably wishful thinking on his grandfather’s part.

“In 1927, people paid once a year when crops came in and or when they sold livestock,” he said.

The store, in addition to being a fully stocked grocery store with all the basics, has now become kind of a community hub, according to Boyer, with most area residents stopping by at some point. Boyer has also seen multiple generations of Monument children grow up during his time as the owner and operator of Boyer’s Cash Store.

NAME: John Day River Trading Post

LOCATION:41345 Highway 19, Kimberly

HOURS: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays (winter hours TBD)

PHONE: 541-934-2060

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Fresh produce

ETC.: Features a selection of homemade goods and crafts and a giant bison head, in addition to a free library and a mini-museum of antique soda pop bottles

The townsfolk of Kimberly have depended on the John Day River Trading Post for a century, and to prove it, the store sells a postcard with a picture of the establishment in its early days from 1926.

Walking into the store, one can find the basics such as snacks, cold drinks, groceries, fresh produce, beer and wine, bread, eggs, milk, orange juice, fishing supplies and ice. The store also features a non-ethanol gas pump for bikers and motorists.

But there’s much more than that.

Among the points of interest inside the store is a free library, which invites book lovers to bring one and take one. There’s also a collection of vintage soda pop bottles on display, including one from the old Canyon City bottling company.

“We’ve got the free library,” said Sara Newton, who co-owns the store with sister Kayla Hand and parents John and Debbie Cole. “We just kind of get book donations that people drop off. You can come, search and find what you need. Take a book, leave a book.”

Store clerk Joanne Flower, who has lived in Kimberly for the past 35 years, said the store provides an outlet for the work of artisans from the area, selling locally produced souvenirs, apparel and handmade wooden gift items.

“They do get the support of some of the local artists,” Flower said. “It’s a community place, and I love that.”

NAME: Lone Elk Market

LOCATION: Highway 19 in Spray

HOURS: 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays

PHONE: 541-468-2443

FUEL: Yes

THE BASICS: Plenty of coolers stocked with a wide variety of beer, soda and other cold beverages; snacks, chips and candy; canned goods, ramen, bread, PB&J; ice, charcoal, paper plates, toilet paper; fishing rods and tackle

CLAIM TO FAME: A small restaurant, tucked into a back room of the store, is open for breakfast and lunch and is earning a reputation for its baked goods

ETC.: If you’ve already powered through your vacation novel and need something else to read, the Lone Elk Market has a little free library. Leave the book you just finished in exchange. Internet service can be spotty in Spray, which can sometimes knock out the store’s card reader. There’s an ATM on site in case you need some quick cash.

LONE ELK MARKET

Loren Woodward and Synde Autenrieth took over the Lone Elk Market in August 2022 and set about making it their own.

“There’s been a learning curve,” Woodward admitted. “Neither one of us have done this before, but it’s coming along.”

Spray’s stretch of the John Day River is popular with anglers, and photos of grinning fishermen showing off their catch have pride of place on the walls. The store has a good selection of drinks, snacks and camping provisions, along with fishing rods and tackle.

Under Autenrieth’s direction, the Lone Elk Restaurant turns out plenty of hot food for breakfast and lunch and is earning a reputation with locals for pies, cinnamon rolls and other fresh-baked goodies.

“I like to make desserts,” she said.

And the couple have plans for more changes in the future. With help from an Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant, they intend to expand into currently unoccupied space in the same building. The goal is to move the restaurant into a larger space and add a laundromat, pay showers, a game room and a library.

They also plan to expand the Lone Elk Market’s inventory to include hardware and outdoor gear.

“It was just basically a minimarket when we took it over,” Woodward said. “We’re trying to make it into a shoppable store.”