This Delightful General Store In South Dakota Will Have You Longing For The Past
Do you ever wish you had grown up in South Dakota in a previous time, when things were simpler and small town Main Streets had a General Store where you could buy everything you needed? There’s nothing like a General Store to make you feel nostalgic for the good old days. Here’s a little store in De Smet that’s still open for business.
De Smet is best-known as the place Laura Ingalls Wilder called home, but it's also been named as one of the 20 best small towns to visit.
According to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, this was once the site of Charles Ingalls' property, which included a store, office building and stable. Edward H. Couse purchased the property from Ingalls and it served as Couse Hardware and the Couse Opera house for two decades. In the 1920s, it housed a JC Penney store before becoming Ward's Store and Bakery.
De Smet is well-known for its many historical sites, including the Ingalls Homestead. It makes perfect sense that a town with such a preservation of history would have an operating General Store!
You'll love this old-fashioned porch, where you can enjoy your breakfast or just sit and chat with friends, the way folks once did before shopping malls took over.
You'll likely see Patti Ward at the store - this place has been family-owned and operated since the 1950s. The customer service here is wonderful, and the folks who work here truly make your visit a great experience.
There's a lunch special every day, and it's always delicious. This is the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad, and you'll also find a nice selection of donuts and other baked goods, and a full breakfast menu.
Have you ever shopped at Ward’s? Tell us about your experience!
Want to see more General Stores in South Dakota? Take a look at this article.
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