The heart of any city is its downtown, where restaurants, boutiques, lawyers, hair salons, theaters, and many more enjoy the bustling hum of commerce. On May 25, 2011, Main Street welcomed an unconventional new retailer to its growing chorus of Downtown Columbia institutions when the Mast General Store opened its doors.  

“The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.” You may be acquainted with this quote that is widely – and inaccurately - attributed to Mark Twain. Apparently, it is also being used in reference to some locations of the Mast Store. Well, we are here to report that the rumors of our closing and going out of business are, indeed, greatly exaggerated. 

This is the eighth year that Merrell and Mast General Store are partnering with our community food agencies in support of Food for Kids. They realize how important it is to give a child a good foundation to grow, to learn, and to just be a kid. From October 26th through November 8th, Merrell Footwear will make a donation to fill a backpack with weekend food for each pair of shoes purchased.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

The Charlotte Observer praised the Original Mast Store as a notable Southeast Excursion in the Living section. Here’s what they had to say:

Join us for a humdinger of a Grand-Opening celebration at our newest "old" location in Winston-Salem! If you were there for our ribbon-cutting on Friday, May 8th, you'll know that we're very excited to be your new neighbors at 516 North Trade Street. We have a big weekend planned at Mast Store Winston-Salem and hope you'll make time to stop by and say hello!

As the birthplace of our first Mast General Store outside of Valle Crucis, we've had a love affair with Boone, North Carolina for centuries. As the home of Appalachian State University (ASU), folks are drawn to this busy college town for more reasons than an exceptional education and exciting athletic events. The surrounding area is one of the country's best destinations for outdoor adventures. Walk across the Mile High Swinging Bridge or scale Linville Peak, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge at Grandfather Mountain. Grab your bike and head to Pisgah National Forest, featuring over 200 miles of exciting trails.

When a 31-year-old John Cooper first laid eyes on the Mast General Store back in 1976, he had a vision for his family’s future that involved going back into the past. “I fell in love with the store as soon as I stepped inside,” says Cooper, who had traveled from his home in Florida with a friend to scout out potential real estate. “They literally had to carry me out.”

This summer, Our State Magazine published the definitive to-do list of 100 North Carolina Icons. Our State queried writers, readers, photographers, and Facebook friends to share “what makes North Carolina a state unlike any other.” We are thrilled that Mast General Store is ranked as the 4th icon on the list!