A red wax rind, a long knife, and a wedge of cheese wrapped in white paper turned a quick gas stop into the best snack of my whole drive. Hoop cheese was once sold in nearly every general store across North Carolina, but it is getting harder to find because it does not keep long and cannot be made by machines very easily.
The country stores still cutting it by hand are keeping a tasty piece of Southern history alive. Grab a cooler, plan a weekend drive, and get ready to fall for a cheese that tastes like old times.
1. Layden’s Country Store
Out in the flat farm fields of Perquimans County, the butcher counter is the real main street. Layden’s Country Store pairs fresh meats with hoop cheese that has earned a loyal local following.
Country ham is the natural partner here, and plenty of regulars leave with both tucked under one arm. Shelves also hold the kind of handy items you simply cannot grab at a chain dollar store, plus produce that looks like it came straight off a nearby farm.
Planning matters a little. The store opens at 7 AM Monday through Saturday, closing at 7 PM on weekdays and 7:30 PM on Saturday, and it stays closed on Sunday.
Saturdays bring the biggest crowds, so a weekday morning visit makes for a calmer stop. A restroom is on site, which is welcome news on a long coastal plain drive toward the sound.
2. Mac’s General Merchandise Country Sausage & Meats
Sausage gets top billing on the sign, but the cheese wheel quietly steals plenty of hearts. Mac’s sits on NC-242 outside Dunn, serving the farm families of Harnett County.
The signature air-dried sausage is the house legend, and spotting it next to a wheel of hoop cheese feels like hitting a small jackpot. Add a wide meat selection and a fun spread of old-time candy, and you have a full road trip picnic.
Hours run 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday, with Sundays off. Weekday mornings tend to be quiet, while Friday and Saturday afternoons pick up.
One practical tip: there is no restroom, so plan stops accordingly. Fresh produce rounds out the shelves for anyone stocking a home kitchen.
3. J R Moore & Son
Work boots, hardware bins, and a hunk of hoop cheese all under one roof? Welcome to Gulf, a tiny old railroad settlement in Chatham County.
J R Moore & Son blends practical goods with nostalgia in a way few places manage. You can browse work apparel and specialty hardware, then reach for a glass bottle soda to pair with your cheese.
Gift hunters do well here too, since the shelves hold items you rarely see in regular stores. It makes a sweet stop on a spring drive when the Deep River country turns green.
Doors open 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, closed Sunday. A restroom is available.
4. Buchanan’s Store
Lake days near the Virginia line have a delicious ritual: penny candy in one bag, a slice of hoop cheese in the other. Buchanan’s Store in Manson makes that ritual easy.
Close to Kerr Lake in Warren County, this nostalgic spot stocks a little bit of everything for lake life. Breakfast sandwiches, signature sandwiches, and hand-dipped ice cream keep boaters and anglers fueled all day.
Many locals call the hoop cheese the best around, and it is easy to see why the counter stays busy. Saturday mornings into the afternoon draw the largest crowds.
Hours are 7 AM to 3 PM Monday through Thursday and 7 AM to 5 PM Friday through Sunday. Free parking and a restroom make it a smooth summer stop.
5. S P Gentry Store
Two words sum up the menu: hoop cheese and bologna. At S P Gentry Store on Boston Road outside Roxboro, that classic pairing is the reason to pull over.
Nothing about the place tries to be fancy. It is a plain rural grocery in Person County farm country, and the simplicity is part of the charm.
Produce is a highlight, especially when local gardens are in full swing. Grab a bag of tomatoes alongside your cheese and you have the start of a perfect summer sandwich.
The store runs 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and closes on Sunday. Pair it with a scenic loop around Hyco Lake or Mayo Lake for an easy weekend outing.
6. Yoder’s Country Market
Sourdough loaves, Amish butter, and sodas from Pennsylvania make an unexpected welcome in quiet Caswell County. Yoder’s Country Market in Blanch packs a lot of surprises into one friendly room.
The deli counter is the center of the action. Meat and cheese are sold by the pound, so you can take home a thin wedge of hoop cheese or a hefty chunk, with ham as the favorite sidekick.
Fresh sandwiches and prepared salads make lunch simple. Bulk goods, snacks, bread, and treats fill the remaining shelves, and there is always some small treasure you did not expect to find.
Hours run 9 AM to 5 PM weekdays and 9 AM to 3 PM Saturday, closed Sunday. Monday mornings are the calmest time, and a restroom is available.
7. Saunders Old Country Store
Autumn leaf peepers heading up toward Blowing Rock have a tasty reason to slow down in the foothills. Saunders Old Country Store sits right on Blowing Rock Boulevard in Lenoir.
Homemade jams and jellies line the shelves next to fresh farm products, giving the store a cozy mountain pantry feel. Hoop cheese is the prize here, and it has won over travelers who thought they could only find it across state lines.
Fun fact: hoop cheese gets its name from the round wooden hoop used to press the curds. A slice with a dab of homemade jam makes a sweet and salty mountain snack.
Open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM, it fits nicely into any Blue Ridge weekend. Tuesday mornings are quietest, while Saturday afternoons get lively.