St James General Store — Local services in Town of Smithtown

I take all my relatives here!! I'm in Nesconset and the road I live off of leads directly to the General Store and Short Beach and Long Beach in Nessiqouge. They still have inexpensive little candies to purchase (like you'd see in a movie set in the early 1900s or late 1800s). It is a well kept, quaint and an immaculate store. When you go up the stairs in the back you can hear creeks in the wood and just feel the history of the building. I still have a couple of silk bags filled with dried lavender that I purchased there. We got a couple of cute things, but the history is the most important part. The area surrounding the General store and it's Amazing history. I was told that this was the "oldest general store original " building" still "operating" in all of America". I may have misunderstood, I looked it up and there are a few other stores in Mass., etc. But there is some truth to the story I was told. There is a mansion close by that becomes a haunted house on Halloween. There are so many events. There are lakes and immaculate Beaches off of Moriches road, just within a couple of miles. Incredible History. If you rent a canoe or kayak from Bob's Canoes, You arrive at the bluff Just a short canoe ride or swim to Short Beach. And just around the other side, You can actually walk to the actual beach (passing people that are camping and having a ball)! There are bathrooms and an area to clean up if you're camping overnight. You could see the boats going by.. You can actually see Connecticut from these beaches. My cousins from Ohio cannot believe that they can hold a horseshoe crab that's way over a foot long. They don't have beaches in Ohio! At low tide, there becomes an island that goes on forever. You're waving to your friends/family sitting under the umbrella on the blanket at the beach and they look like a tiny ants. When you get to end of this little island during low tide, You just float.. If you close your eyes and look up it's like the Caribbean. There aren't any fish or scary things It's just clear water ALL the way out there (This is one of my little secret places to go). Can you imagine starting to canoe/kayak by the Smithtown "BULL" in a beautiful lake that suddenly seems dark and deep, canoeing by huge turtles, birds, fish and amazing mansions and old homes. I imagine you are halfway through the ride and all of a sudden, you look over the canoe into the water and begin to see the lake turning into the clearest water. It becomes shallow and you can see to the bottom where there are little rocks and little shells. Now it's salt water and there may be a tiny little tide. I can't learn enough about Smithtown, NY. After 50+ yrs. living in Smithtown - (all it's hamlets, such as Nesconset); is one of the BEST PLACES to Live on Long Island. I've never seen a crime. There is nothing missing for the BEST family life that you can imagine. You don't need to go upstate to relax. You don't need to go down south. Every season is so beautiful, It's at least 100 ft above sea level. Such a safe area to live in. Thank goodness for the St. Jame's General Store and all of...

Very cute. Exactly what you would expect a real "general store "to be. They ask that cell phones b turned off prior to entering, so I respectfully did not take photos either. Shelves lined with tea sets, plates, cloth napkins, scarves,jewelry, toys..real toys..non electronic TOYS!, dolls,army men, animals,boomerangs, Ragedy Ann dolls,wooden toys, booooooooooks, ornaments, pens, soda, homemade choclates, cookies, & loose candies in large glass candy jars! Just to name a few things they have. The staff was very pleasant, the store itself was very clean, the floors are old creaky wood floors,lending to the feeling of being back in time at a turn of the century general store. St James general store is the OLDEST CONSECUTIVELY RUNNING GENERAL STORE IN AMERICA! That says a lot in an era when so many others businesses have closed . They figured out the secret to success..its not all " location,location,location", treat the customers fairly, respectfully, have quality product, cary product the customer wants..needs, have one of a kind individualized items, create memories,help preserve memories. They also have a large wooden indian( American Indian, the kind you would see out in front of a cigar store..eeeeons ago). I also loved, that while we were there, there was a dad with his 2 young sons(6-9ish). The dad was paying for items he purchased for the kids,& they were all commenting on how great the store was. The dad had explained that as a boy, his parents took him here on the way to the beach,& now he gets to take his kids here as well, & he asked his sons," that's pretty cool right?".... they...

Very disappointing that the ONE room I really wanted to go into and SPEND MONEY was closed. Sign said it would open up at end of October which it was when I went. The woman who was decorating and putting items out did not say one word as I looked in which was not only unfriendly and rude but odd. It’s as if I wasn’t there. I think it’s a beautiful store, but the women who work there should be greeting customers as they walk in. It’s so awkward and cold. Ladies, in this very scary, unpleasant environment, your kindness and any kind of pleasantry would go a LONG way. I would rather give my money to a store that is welcoming and pleasant when I’m there. (I think I will.) Don’t you want customers to buy your items? Don’t you realize your actions and demeanor affect whether or not people will buy??? Doesn’t it matter to you in this competitive environment. I guess you don’t care and it...