Gray's, America's Oldest General Store, Shuts Down After 224 Years

After 224 years, Gray’s General Store is closing its doors for good. America’s oldest general store first opened in Adamsville, Rhode Island in 1788 and has been in the Waite family for six generations. Just last month, 21-year-old Jonah Waite inherited the legendary store after his father passed away. Waite and his mother, Danna Spencer, joined Fox and Friends this morning to discuss what’s next for the family and the property.

Danna Spencer revealed that in the age of chain drug stores and super markets, the store no longer seemed relevant.

She said, “I don’t think that in the past, probably decade, it [Gray’s General Store] was really relevant anymore. It was relevant to Adamsville, Rhode Island. I think people marked time by the opening and the closing of that store each day, that flag going out and the shutters going open, but relevant in terms of, you know, CVSs and Super Stop & Shops … obviously it saw its time and had its day.”

Waite acknowledged how sad a loss it is for the family, but said that there’s definitely a possibility that he will hold onto the historical property and that he’s entertaining other options for the space.

“For the time being, I’m going to hold onto the property. Nothing’s listed, nothing’s going up for sale. Once I get a stable mindset, because everything seems like such a whirlwind as of late, once I really get to sit down and think about the property and what I’d like to do with it, I’ll make the best decision, one that I know my father would be proud of and one that I’m happy with,” Waite said.