Saco, Maine, General Store Named One of the Best in the Nation

There was a time in American life when general stores were the heartbeat of towns and cities across the country. Before shopping malls and big box stores, great general stores served as a place to get hardware and a few groceries to boot.

But over time, general stores have been phased out across the United States. Competition in pricing is too stiff, and the familiarity and convenience of bigger stores is often too much for the mom-and-pop places.

Thankfully, we still have plenty of general stores in Maine, some of which are as popular as ever. Most of them still operate in rural areas where it's nearly impossible to find a Walmart or grocery store nearby.

LoveFood recently put together a list of the 50 best general stores in America that are still fighting the good fight. And their choice for Maine was one of the few general stores that doesn't operate in a rural area.

They named The Way Way Store in Saco, an absolute gem of a general store, as the best in Maine and one of the best in the nation. Located on Buxton Road, the unique store has been a favorite of locals and tourists for more than a century.

Built in 1916, the Way Way Store has become such an institution that it's now featured on the National Register of Historic Places. While the exterior looks relatively unassuming with its red and white brick, the interior of the Way Way Store is why people go out of their way to visit.

Think old school ice cream parlor meets old school candy counter meets a place where you grab a wood stove or a kayak. It's the definition of a general store that you need to explore, because every nook and cranny is worth seeing.