Who we are

During the Lockdowns of 2020, I did a lot of walking to escape the confines of the house. I would often walk around Chatham since my mother lived nearby and I would stop by to visit her after walking. One day, I noticed that the old Chatham General Store was up for auction.  So on October 16, 2020, my husband, Bill Scandlon and I went to the auction and won the bid for the store, licensing, stock and land, which started our journey to restore the past.   

This store was built in 1854 by the Packard Brothers, (originally from New York), and pass it on to other store owners over the 170 years of operation. The store has been in about 10 different families over those years and hasn’t changed much over that time. The 16ft wood countertop, floors and even upstairs apartments have all been with the store from the beginning. We even restored the siding to the original federal gray color and added reproduction lights, so it looks like the original store from when the Packard Brothers started in 1854. 

It was our ambition to restore the store to its intended purpose of being a true country general store. This to us means bringing a feeling of stepping into the past, having everything you need to buy on a trip to town, and being a part of the community of Chatham. This was (and still is) a big undertaking. Since we bought the store, we repaired the roof as well as repairing the walk-in beer cooler and added wine. We also had to clean out the basement and attic as it had over seven dumpsters worth of rubbish from years of operation.   

Once we got through these projects, we started up a Local Goods Room, where we could showcase the local honeys, jams and jellies, Old Mill Pancake Mix, Local Maple Syrup, local handmade crafts, and soaps. We also feature my watercolor art because I love painting local landmarks and native birds and flowers. This room is the best that Chatham & Medina County has to offer and allows the community to take pride in their neighbor’s efforts.  

We made the back room into “the Back Porch” as a personal tribute to my late Dads love of the outdoors. We carry quality camping, hunting and fishing gear such as Eureka tents, Rome Pie Irons, Lodge Cookware, Gregory Backpacks, 5.11 backpacks, Mountain Handwear, Ugly Stick fishing rods, Ten Point Crossbows, Arrows, Daisy BB Guns. We also have ammo, Case knifes, KA-bars, home hardware and pet supplies just to list a few.  

 We were very blessed to inherit the National Cash Register from the granddaughter of shopkeeper from 1864 and proudly display it by our new checkout area near the front window. Centrally located in the store, we now have a full-service deli and hot foods, serving up my mom’s family recipes such as the Chatterbox Chilidogs and Daily Soups in the colder months. We even serve Hershey’s Ice Cream with 12 flavors year-round at the updated ice cream booth. 

My Husband, Bill Scandlon and I (Beverly Scandlon) run the store with the help of my daughter Sara Amoline, and her husband Luke Amoline. Our power duo of good friends that work with us daily are Jane Wright .We also have teenagers during the summer months that help serve the delicious Hershey’s ice cream.