The Original Mast General Store is located in Valle Crucis, NC. It was opened by Henry Taylor back…read morein 1883 as the Taylor General Store and has been operating ever since, so they are definitely doing something right! The landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places and is quite a popular place. While you won't be able to park right out front as they did in the past, there is plenty of parking located conveniently behind the store. W.W. Mast bought a half stake of the business in 1897, then bought the other half in 1913, changing the name to Mast General Store It was truly the Amazon of its day, offering everything you could possibly need with the motto, "goods for the living, coffins and caskets for the dead," which prompted the local phrase, "If you can't buy it here, you don't need it ." When the economy changed and the original store closed in 1977, it was thankfully saved and reopened in 1980 by preservationists John and Faye Cooper The front corner of the store features an active town post office The store spans two levels with beautifully creaking floorboards that instantly let you know you are in a nostalgic place filled with history. A lot of the original advertising posters from Mr. Mast are still mounted on the walls alongside the vintage counters and fixtures The original cast iron potbellied wood stove is still used to heat the store, the functional wooden trap doors in the floorboards still remain from where chickens historically were traded for store credit, and you can even get a cup of coffee for just 5 cents. You will find a massive variety of cast-iron cookware, old-fashioned candy in barrels, postcards, books, high-quality clothing, footwear, toys, and traditional mercantile goods. I even bought a delicious fried apple pie! The historic Little Red Schoolhouse sits right behind the main building and offers clearance merchandise, though I just enjoyed looking at the older architecture and reading about the school.

Been coming here for a few years now, we love visiting the area and stopping in for a moon pie and…read morea spicy ginger ale or cream soda!!!! There's so much to look at here, the property itself is stunning and surrounded by amazing nature, the staff are all warm and friendly, and you could spend literally hours here perusing the shelves. There's good old fashioned candy, popcorn, snacks, there's Valle Crucis souvenirs to bring home. It's never felt like a tourist trap, it's always felt very warm, country, and welcoming. The building itself is so old and stunning! The creamy floors and woodsy smells, it's always a treat to come here and there's so much to look at and buy. There's even a Christmas shop upstairs year round, where you can stock up on goodies ahead of time for Christmas. I'd say the value is pretty good, depending on what you're buying. Snacks, drinks, candy are all very affordable, but the souvenir and brand name products of course are higher up in price, which is to be expected. All in all, a wonderful place to stop by to grab a treat or bring home some gifts for family and friends. Highly recommend!!!

Local vendor mall with a wide variety of well selected reasonably priced items, some are handmade,…read moresome locally sourced, all local small businesses. A great place to buy gifts!

This was a great stop in Boone on King St, which seems to be a perfect area for shops. They had a…read morelot of different items from touristy kind of things, to crafty items. Some clothing and jewelry items as well. I picked up a couple of really nice metal bird cutouts for my screened-in porch, but I could have easily spent a lot more money than I did, but if you are visiting this is, to me a definite stop here in Boone.

In our experience, White Wolf Lodge was extremely dishonest and had terrible customer service…read more Important items were misplaced by staff, which led to an interaction that never should have happened. Instead of taking responsibility, they denied the situation entirely and claimed it never occurred, even after later evidence showed otherwise. Rather than attempting to resolve the issue professionally or offer an apology, they escalated it unnecessarily and refused to make things right. The lack of accountability and poor communication only made the situation worse. Overall, this was a very upsetting experience, and we would not recommend this place based on how they handle mistakes and treat customers.

We dropped into this store on a whim to see what their rental prices were for equipment! Needless…read moreto say, we saved between $10-20 per day, per person on rental equipment over the resort without the high deposit. The staff were super kind, knowledgeable, and helpful! The sweet cashier that signs you up for the equipment is amazing! Her whole family works here! The gift shop is cute and we ended up with some souvenirs that were also way cheaper than the resort! The equipment was all in good shape, no smells, helmets looked just about new! Overall, we would recommend many times over versus renting from the resort! They are open long hours for returning gear! They had fudge and BBQ there, but we never ended up trying it. Smelled good though.

Another fun little store in downtown Blowing Rock. They offered a good mix of home decor, wall…read moreart, , fun coffee table books, glassware, socks, and so much more. My only complaint about the store, though their inventory is fun, there is nothing unique to the store, which I hoped to find more of in a small touristy town like this. They don't offer unique, locally made items like you'd expect to find in a small town gift shop, but maybe that's just my expectation. Overall, they have a good variety of items, and pricing varies a good bit, but, there's nothing you can't find online, or at another home decor store.

This is my favorite store in the entire Boone and Blowing Rock area, and it's always a place I take…read morevisitors. This is the best place to buy cute and practical home decor and gifts for others, although I always end up buying stuff for myself - lol. I can never walk out of here without spending a dime. I especially love all the dog themed items, especially the dog cards. The owners of the store are very friendly and are willing to help you out if needed and also leave you space if you just want to browse. They sure have patience there with all the people coming in and out! I just love this store so much for so many reasons, and the open love and support they offer to all people makes it even better in my book. Love you, Neaco!!!

I all about the pottery and was thrilled to see some local artists represented. They had a little…read moreof everything between all the shops. Candles, jewelry, clothing and more. Any kind of gift or treasure you could want! Prices were fair, I snagged a couple of Christmas gifts!

I went in Artwalk today with a couple of friends. One of my friends wanted to see if a sweater on…read moredisplay was available in her size. She asked a clerk and was told that the sweater on display was the only one available. As the clerk did not offer further assistance, I reached up to undrape the sweater from a t-shirt so that my friend could try it on. When I did so, the clerk came running across the store screeching, "Don't mess up my display!" I'm sorry, but I thought the purpose of a store that sells clothing was to entice customers to come in, try on the merchandise, and then buy it. If that's the case, someone should educate the clerk with the abrasive customer service skills. I will NEVER return to this store!

In Blowing Rock, NC this is the place for outdoor and hiking gear and shoes. Those Keens caught my…read moreeye as my wife and I went inside. A minute or two for a separate staff person to come help us, as another staffer was there in the shoe area. A couple of try ons (as my shoe size in Keens can be 11 or 11 1/2) and I was ready to go; however, my wife who initially did not look the look of the bubble toe on the Keens (for women or men) was finally talked into trying a pair of Keens on and walking around in the shop. Comfort for her, and thus a pair of Keens for her and, of course, one for me. My last Keens were bought here about 6 years ago, are still quite comfortable and not showing wear, but sometimes you just have to spend a dollar or two and get more comfort, right? Yep.

Extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Can't remember his name but he answered all of our questions…read moreand made suggestions for Grandfather Mountain!

My family and I stopped into Take Heart last month during our first visit to Blowing Rock. My…read more6-year-old daughter had been looking for a heart-shaped locket after losing one from her grandparents. She finally found what she was looking for at Take Heart! She immediately went to the counter so we could purchase it. The women there were so kind with her, asking about her purchase and her name. They were so touched by her story that they decided to gift it to her for Christmas! We were shocked! We were in the store for a brief amount of time, but that visit will leave a long-lasting impression on her and us. Thank you to "the purple shop" for creating such a wonderful Christmas memory for our family!

This is THE STORE I look forward to visiting each time I visit Blowing Rock NC. It is my favorite…read morestore in fact. From the moment I walk in I feel welcomed. The scents, the positive and uplifting music playing over the speakers, the friendly welcome from the staff, and all the beautiful items in the store, feel like home to me. The owner Sherri is the icing on the cake, her smile is pure comfort. She is always happy to help me pick out something special. Her Joy is contagious, and sincere. There are so many beautiful items in the store. Each time I go I find a little gift for a friend, a family member, and usually one for myself, and I leave with a smile on my face. Take Heart is a lovely little gem of a store. I cannot wait to return.

Boone Rock N Roll Emporium on King Street in Boone is a cool place that has a many different unique…read moreitems for sale. They definitely have some items that I have never seen at any other store which makes it a must to check out. I really like stores like this and that they exist. This store has a really cool vibe and atmosphere that is very laid back and makes you happy and smile from the moment you walk in. The staff was very helpful and did a good job. I was able to find some gift items that were perfect for some people on my list that are usually harder to shop for. If you are in the near vicinity of this store it would be wise to come in here. We had a really good experience shopping here and found some good deals.

My wife bought a pair of pants at this dump and the size was wrong. We brought them back the next…read moreday to exchange - with the receipt. They wouldn't refund our money because we'd taken the tag off. Better try anything on you want to buy first before buying something here. Will never go back.