By Bob Audette and Danielle M. Crosier, Vermont Country.

Ever wanted to pretend you’re on the Oregon Trail? Stop in at any of our favorite country stores and enjoy an old-fashioned, one-stop shopping experience.

BENNINGTON

Bennington Community Market

Bennington Community Market, at 239 Main St. in Bennington, has quickly become downtown Bennington’s one-stop shop, offering everything from quality, wholesome and nutritious foods to entertainment.

On any given Saturday, the Market is alive with music and vendors and, throughout the week, it is a hive of activity as a meeting spot for locals.

Walking into the space, visitors are greeted with a fully stocked grocery store to the right and a community gathering space and café to the left.

The newly installed bakery offers customers a vast array of sweet and savory pastries and danishes; bagels, donuts, and croissants; cupcakes, specialty cakes, fruit tarts and pies; brownies and cookies; and breads. With pizazzy names like the Better Than Brad Pitt Chocolate Cookie or the Battenkill Alligator — a flaky puff pastry with flavors of cardamom, vanilla, and maple pecan cream that is then sprinkled with pecans, maple sugar crystals, and a drizzle of white maple icing — the bakery is in full production during business hours.

The cafe’s full industrial kitchen offers customers everything from breakfast to dinner: hot foods, cold and grilled sandwiches, soups, salads, and meals-to-go. The Friday Hot Bar items include specials like roasted salmon, perch, flounder and cod on a bed of sautéed spinach and baby swiss chard; Indian korma chicken, or vegan Indian butter meatballs, with basmati rice and spiced cauliflower; roasted acorn squash with chickpeas, quinoa, eggplant, and asparagus; and roasted herbed chicken with apple fennel chutney and garlic kale basmati.

Behind the counter, a barista serves up specialty hot and cold beverages, including smoothies.

“The goal of the Bennington Community Market is to invest in the community,” says Natasha Gardner Littrell, manager of the Bennington Community Market.

BRATTLEBORO

Vermont Country Deli

There’s really no telling how many faces have been lit up with smiles after taking their first bites of Vermont Country Deli’s (436 Western Ave.) Vermont cheddar mac ‘n’ cheese topped with crispy golden mozzarella.

It’s a good bet, with more than 2 million pounds sold since the deli opened on Western Avenue in Brattleboro in 1986, there have been a lot of people smiling on the way to a ski area, in their cubicle at work, or around the dinner table.

“We sell 65,000 pounds a year for a reason,” said Christine Meyer, store manager.

But it’s not just the mac ‘n’ cheese that draws visitors and locals alike to the creaky-floored, post-and-beam country store.

Regular meal offerings include sesame chicken, pulled pork, vegan curry samosas and pot stickers. The deli offers soup specials every day and prepares custom-made sandwiches on fresh-made sourdough, sandwich rolls, wheat, multi-grain and marbled rye bread.

If those choices aren’t enough to send a person into culinary euphoria, one glance at the pastry case might be enough to do the trick.

Do yourself and your family a favor and ask for a box to pack in slices of carrot cake, chocolate and maple eclairs, coconut macaroons or raspberry mousse cake, a cannoli and whoopie pie, brownies, cookies and tiramisu, all made in-house.

Bring a friend to help you carry more stuff, because the Vermont Country Deli carries products from around the Green Mountain State, including maple syrup from Highland Sugarworks, jams and jellies from Sidehill Farm, candy from Tom & Sally’s, cheese from Grafton Cheese Company and treats from Lake Champlain Chocolates.

The Vermont Country Deli also caters events and prepares dinner meals for 12 people, starting at $10 a person, with items including apple cider chicken, carne asada, tortellini primavera, and, of course, macaroni and cheese.

New items are appearing on the menu every day, said Meyer, with the recent addition of Chef Erika Schapp to oversee the kitchen and last year’s addition of Brittani Christiansen’s Top Tier cupcakes.

Next door, at the VCD Market, customers can find those cupcakes, as well as grocery items from local and regional suppliers.

The market carries all natural, hormone-free chicken, pork and beef from Black River Produce, local honey and produce, gluten-free baguettes, pizzas and rolls from Against the Grain Gourmet, and maple products from Robb family Farm.

GUILFORD

Guilford Country Store

It’s been about 18 months since Ali West and Wayne Warwick took over the Guilford Country Store (475 Coolidge Highway) in the village of Algiers, and their success has been a bit overwhelming to them.

“We’re a pretty big little business,” said West, who said many of their employees are local high school students.

Warwick said he had only one explanation for their resounding success.

“Because people found out we’re awesome,” he said. “It’s local community support. We have lots of regulars that are here every day for coffee and breakfast or to grab a lunch sandwich.”

Popular food items include the breakfast burrito, yogurt parfait, the Green River Reuben, the State Line, store-cooked roast beef with gorgonzola-horseradish, potato salad, lasagna and a “Killer” kale salad.

The Guilford Country Store also offers prepared foods such as English Cottage Pie, house-made hummus, and a white bean and rosemary spread.

They offer daily soups such as Carpenter Hill Chili and the Great Gazpacho.

West said they wanted to create a welcoming cafe where everyone feels safe and at home.

“Everyone who comes in is really happy to be here,” she said. “I’m here usually between 3:30 and 4 every morning and when I open the doors at 6 a.m., we have people waiting outside.”

When they first took over the store, Warwick was working fulltime in IT. He has since traded in his keyboard for an apron and is working full time in the store.

“It was gratifying to know that they have embraced us,” said West, who worked at Hamelman’s Bakery in downtown Brattleboro and spent seven years as food service director for Windham Southeast Supervisory Union.

Warwick said about 90 percent of their customers are local, though they often have people travel from afar just to stop in.

“We actually had a couple people come up from Hartford, because they worked at Bradley International, and there were some tourists that were leaving and they were raving about the Guilford Country Store,” he said. “They drove up here just to check us out.”

West said they are hosting events such as the monthly GCSWTF Club, or Guilford Country Store Wine Tasting Fridays, and they also hope to host cooking classes.

The Guilford Country Store also offers products from around the state, including mugs and other pottery, maple syrup, sweet delectables and souvenirs.

MANCHESTER

Marketplace on Main

Marketplace on Main (4919 Main St.) in downtown Manchester offers something for everyone: tourists and locals alike.

On the bottom of every receipt it reads, “Keeping Manchester Weird.” It seems apt.

“We have the World’s Best Cup of Coffee,” laughs owner Vedanta Dumas-Griffith, adding that the shop has its own brand of coffee named after a scene in the movie “Elf.” The shop also has an insider secret: Visitors can get one free cup of the World’s Best Cup of Coffee daily because it’s on tap at the coffee bar in the back.

Marketplace on Main has something for everyone. They’ve got holiday products; custom-printed clothing like T-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies; mugs, trinkets, souvenirs and stickers; household decor items; soaps, lotions and candles; snacks, chips and crackers; jams and spreads, mustards, maple syrup products, bread mixes and honey; jewelry and other handmade crafts; a vast array of hot sauces, spices and seasoning blends; games; and champagnes, wines, beers and ciders. Nearly every item is Vermont-sourced.

The shop also hosts a waffle bar; a fudge shop; an ice cream parlor; and a full espresso, cappuccino and mocha bar. In the far back of the shop is a kitchen where sandwiches, soups, biscuits and other food-to-go items are prepared.

“We’ve got a summer-fare menu that includes chopped salad, pasta salad and wraps,” says Dumas-Griffith, but the shop typically also has soup year-round. “Our three most popular homemade soup recipes are chicken pot pie, sausage lasagna with cheese tortellini, and Hungarian mushroom. The mushrooms are sourced locally from Sole Connection Farm in Arlington, and delivered weekly.”

“My husband is also a potter, and all of the pottery — except the brown sugar savers, cookie presses, and bread warmers — are his,” adds Dumas-Griffith, pointing to the array of crockery and bowls. “And, that retro candy wall is sourced by my husband Richard. He spends hours just sourcing this.”

Richard Griffith pokes his head around a corner. “I’m married to her. And, sometimes I’m married to this place more than I am to her,” he jokes, adding quickly, “In a good way.”

Besides the famous soups and the World’s Best Cup of Coffee, Marketplace on Main boasts just a few more claims to fame: a shaved ice cart out front in the summertime, freshly made bakery, charcuterie and dessert boards, and milkshake or sundae towers.

“We’re veteran-owned, family-owned. Yes, we get a ton of tourists,” adds Dumas-Griffith, “but our goal is to cater to locals because they’re the ones who live here. And, it’s like a little carnival in the summertime.”

NEWFANE

Newfane Store

The Newfane Store (596 VT-30) has been a mainstay in town for more than 200 years.

Of course, it has had many owners since then, but for the past three years, David Hull, who’s lived in town for nearly 20 years, has been running the store.

Hull and his wife, Apple Gifford, had careers as teachers.

Their decision to purchase the legacy store was simple.

“We just needed it to be new again,” said Hull. “We were in a position to make that happen.”

While Gifford continues to teach, their two children are pulling shifts at the store.

Hull said most days, working in the store is a lot of fun, but it can also be demanding.

“There’s just a billion things to do, though none of them are all that hard,” he said.

Most of the store’s customers are locals, coming in for breakfast or lunch.

Hull called them “the lifeblood” of his store, and he works hard to provide them with what they need.

“I want this to be a convenience store for everyone, a general store, but I also do want to have some higher-end items that folks driving by are happy to buy for a gift.”

Hull said he is in the process of cleaning up the backyard of the store so he can place some picnic tables back there. He also hopes to offer ice cream soon. Until then, there is plenty of space inside the store to relax with a cup of coffee and a pastry or to eat lunch while traffic passes by on Route 30.

Specials on the menu include macaroni and cheese, lobster rolls, hand pies, chicken wings, chicken with rice, and fish and chips.

If you’re lucky, you can also get a strawberry rhubarb or triple berry pie straight out of the oven. Other pastries include oatmeal cream pies, rhubarb doughnuts, cookies and other delectables.

NORTH BENNINGTON

Powers Market

Open 10 to 6 p.m. daily, Powers Market is at 9 Main St. in North Bennington — but you can’t miss it. The shop is the beating heart of North Bennington.

Established in 1833, Powers Market has seen its share of stewards and caretakers over the past two centuries, but the establishment has maintained its focus on building community.

With its columned façade, 19th-century Greek Revival architecture, and marble slab entrance, the market is an imposing feature in the village. A fountain gurgles in the little park across the street that serves as the hub of the wheel of North Bennington. Around it, the spokes rotate: the McCullough Library, the Prospect Coffee House, the Pangaea Restaurant and Lounge, and Powers Market.

Serving as the unofficial welcome center to the wayward traveler, as well as a dynamic and integral presence to the economy, social and cultural life of the village, Powers Market offers a fun and quirky twist to the ordinary.

The atmosphere inside is bustling, bright, charming and quaintly Vermont: crates of blossoming flowers, newly harvested produce, fresh-from-the-oven breads and baked goods (regular and gluten-free), specialty items and handmade crafts, cured and uncured meats, snacks, beverages (local beers and ciders, fine wines, juices, spritzers, and more), ice creams, eggs from pasture-raised chickens, as well as honeys, jams, jellies and spreads, prepared foods, deli items and take-and-bake meals.

Greetings are called out across the store, as locals recognize one another or as newbies poke their curious heads inside the door. A self-serve coffee bar is next to the entranceway, a long main counter just behind it.

Behind the counter, staff jump in to prepare specialty beverages, make sandwiches and deli goods, pack up a dinner or party order, or assist customers as they navigate the offerings of the menus.

“Powers Market is the longest continually running grocery store in Vermont, and that is made possible by our incredible community, our steadfast farmers, and our enthusiastic and committed staff,” explains owner Lani DePonte-Disorda. “We want those coming into the market to feel like they’re coming home, whether it’s for easy homemade grab-and-go meals, local farm produce, the perfect local gift, or just a friendly smile and a chat with a neighbor.”

TOWNSHEND

Harmonyville Store

One visitor to the Harmonyville Store (1412 VT-30) in Townshend once commented they had died and gone to sandwich heaven.

“The sandwich is easily large enough for two small people,” they wrote. “While you’re waiting, be sure to get some of the homemade cookies available in a plethora of sizes and flavors. The convenience store itself has a good assortment of must-have items, and pricing is reasonable.”

Donna and Chuck Moitoza, who moved to Townshend from Massachusetts, purchased the store in early 2022.

In addition to providing grab-and-go snacks and beer and wine, Harmonyville Store is the only liquor store and lottery retailer in the area.

The store offers coffee all day as well as an assortment of fresh baked goods made right on the premises.

The deli serves up a variety of sandwiches and soups and daily specials cooked on the premises.

The store borders Mill Brook. The location is home to Vermont’s largest sycamore tree.

“We love the community and the people.” said Donna Moitoza. “Townshend is a great place.”

Moitoza said they have changed very little about the store, and still offer the same favorite meals.

“Folks really love the steak bomb,” she said.

If you’re in luck, you’ll also get to meet Ollie, the store dog, a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Homemade cookies include bananaramas, chewy ginger, hopscotchies and peanut butter chippers.

Specialty wraps and sandwiches include their famous pulled pork, a Cuban, and maple ham, and prepared foods include meatballs and eggplant parmesan.

The Harmonyville store also offers local products and souvenirs.

Lawrence’s Smoke Shop

A little more than five years ago, it seemed the end was near for Lawrence’s Smoke Shop (653 VT-30), which was opened in 1964 by Merrill and Norma Lawrence.

In 2018, it was owned by Kit Miller, and Dollar General was making plans to tear down Lawrence’s and build a store on the spot.

But the community rallied in opposition and a local businesswoman and her father took over the reins of the store.

Paul Bedortha, owner of River Bend Market, and his daughter, Sarah Bernard, operator of River Bend Farm Supply, took over in 2019, continuing a tradition of offering a variety of Vermont-made gifts and foods and Lawrence’s own line of smoked meats.

“It’s been a nice complimentary feature to the family business,” said Bernard, who said they have plans to redo the exterior of the store.

Specialty items include sausages, bacon ends, ham steaks, Grafton Village Cheese and local maple syrup.

The walls of the store are also lined with Vermont-made goods, including mugs and coffee cups, socks and T-shirts, jams, chips and salsa, soaps and creams and incense.

Hoping to offer more than in the past, Bernard recently welcomed a food truck to the space, “The Old Guy Can Cook,” and offers Kingdom Creamery ice cream in season.

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