A New Lease on Life

DACUSVILLE –– The smell of fresh baked pies, pastries and percolating coffee will soon fill the air of a storied space that has remained empty for much of the past half century.

The Hester Store, located at the corner of Thomas Mill and Hester Store Roads in Dacusville, has been purchased with plans to turn the historic site into a bakery, coffee shop and general store.

Hester General Store, as it is being called, will soon undergo a major renovation to return the iconic building to its former glory as a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors.

Originally built in 1893 by Michael Washington Hester, the two-story, gable front building is on the National Register of Historic Sites. The Register’s listing for Hester Store reads, “Hester Store, built in 1893, is significant as an important example of a country store and mercantile business in the South Carolina Piedmont. For many years the store served not only as a place of business, but also as a central meeting place within the Dacusville community.”

Upstate resident Katie Chaney is the new owner of Hester General Store. She explains her choice of location by saying, “Old general stores that tell the history of times past are fascinating to me, so finding a location like the Hester Store was a dream come true.”

She added, “The locals I have met are extremely supportive of my plans and I consider it a great honor to restore this building to its former glory and make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the surrounding community.”

Chaney plans to offer local and regional produce, sundries and wares in the general store. The bakery, of which Chaney will personally serve as executive chef, will offer an assortment of fresh pastries, pies, cakes, and breads baked in-house daily. Customers will also find a variety of freshly brewed coffees, Italian sodas, grab-and-go sandwiches and picnic fares, she said.

Situated on the primary route between Greenville, Easley, Pickens and the nearby mountains, Hester General Store aspires to become a warm and welcoming rest stop for those traveling to or from places like Table Rock or Lake Jocassee. It is also intended to become a favorite breakfast and lunch spot for locals and a place to pick up sundry items, she said.

“Hester General Store will be an ideal destination for the person that wants to put together a picnic basket with local fares for a day hike and for folks looking to buy a unique gift for a new neighbor, best friend, or partner,” said Chaney. “We’ll also offer candies for the local kids, lunch sandwiches for area workers and boiled peanuts for the weary road traveler.”

According to Chaney, the renovations are scheduled to begin this winter and must follow exacting guidelines to ensure the building’s architectural design integrity remains intact. The structure is in remarkably good shape for a building over 100 years old and Chaney plans to use or repurpose as much of the original materials as possible.

Some of the significant renovation features include placing the bakery upstairs, keeping all the original tongue-and-groove wood floors, walls and beadboard throughout — as well as all shelving, which will be used to store inventory and overflow baked goods, she said.