Running on trust and fresh ingredients since the 1880s. Pennsylvania still has places like that, and this one is worth every mile of the detour.
There is a general store in this state where the owner knows your name before your second visit, the deli smells so good it makes the decision for you, and local honey lines the shelves next to things that have been selling here for generations. It is the real thing.
Completely, unhurriedly, wonderfully real. Shopping used to feel like this. Personal, unhurried, rooted in something. Most places traded that in a long time ago.
This one held onto it, and walking through the door makes that immediately obvious. Locals drive from miles around just to stop in on a regular Tuesday.
That kind of loyalty does not happen by accident. It happens because a place genuinely earns it, year after year after year. Pennsylvania is full of surprises. This one is among the very best.
A Store Built On Trust
Back in 1876, someone in Kempton had a big idea: build a store from local clay bricks and serve the community honestly. That idea never really left.
Wanamakers General Store has been running on a foundation of trust for nearly 150 years. Five different owners have kept that spirit alive, and current owner Kyra Hendricks, who took sole ownership in 2018, carries it forward with real passion.
The handshake honor system is not just a catchy phrase here. It reflects how the store has always operated, with respect between the people behind the counter and the people walking through the door.
Regulars do not feel like customers. They feel like neighbors.
Have you ever walked into a store and felt like you actually belonged there? That is exactly what visitors describe when they talk about this place.
The brick walls have absorbed more than a century of conversations, laughter, and community moments that no app can replicate.
Pennsylvania does not always get credit for its small-town magic, but Wanamakers is proof that it should. The trust built here is not a marketing strategy.
It is just how things have always been done.
Deli Worth The Drive
People have been known to plan entire road trips around a good sandwich, and the deli at Wanamakers gives them every reason to do exactly that.
Made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, and hoagies are prepared fresh using local ingredients whenever possible. The chicken salad on greens with avocado is a crowd favorite, and the Italian hoagie has its own loyal following.
Seasonal wraps rotate in and keep things interesting no matter when you visit.
A “Grab and Go” cooler sits ready for anyone in a hurry, stocked with sliced meats, cheeses, and seasonal salads. But honestly, why rush? The deli area has a cozy dine-in space that practically invites you to sit down and stay a while.
Visitors consistently say the food is fresh, the portions are satisfying, and the staff makes the whole experience feel personal. One visitor called the wraps “consistently good,” which in food terms is high praise.
What is your go-to sandwich order? Because after a visit to this deli, your answer might change completely.
The ingredients are sourced with care, and that attention shows up in every single bite. Pennsylvania farm country produces incredible food, and this deli puts it front and center where it absolutely belongs.
Bulk Foods And Local Goods
Candy by the scoop. Nuts in bulk. Granola you can smell from the doorway. Wanamakers stocks its shelves with the kind of variety that makes every visit feel like a small adventure.
The bulk food section is a particular highlight, with bags of sweets, savory snacks, and pantry staples lining the shelves in a way that feels satisfying rather than overwhelming. One visitor joked that she and her husband “bought their weight in candy” and left with far more than planned.
That happens here more often than people expect.
Beyond the bulk bins, the store carries organic, natural, and gluten-free grocery options alongside locally sourced coffee, raw milk, and honey. Supporting local farmers and businesses is not a trend at Wanamakers.
It is a long-standing commitment that shapes every product on the shelves.
Can you really walk out with just one item? Spoiler: most people cannot. The mix of everyday staples and specialty finds makes it genuinely hard to stop browsing. Pennsylvania Dutch Country has a rich food tradition, and this store channels that tradition into every aisle.
Ice Cream And Sweet Surprises
No visit to Wanamakers is complete without a scoop of Nesting Box ice cream, and locals will tell you that with complete certainty.
The ice cream has developed a reputation all its own, with visitors making special stops just to try it. It is creamy, flavorful, and the kind of treat that makes a road trip feel like a real celebration.
Pair it with a fresh sandwich from the deli and you have yourself a proper Pennsylvania afternoon.
The sweet side of the store does not stop at ice cream. The candy selection is playful and generous, with options ranging from nostalgic classics to things you have never seen before.
Kids love it. Adults love it just as much, possibly more.
Baked goods also make regular appearances, sourced locally and rotating with the seasons. Stopping in during fall means you might find something pumpkin-spiced and perfect. Spring brings its own surprises.
What is the best part of an unexpected sweet find on a road trip? That moment when something exceeds your expectations completely.
Wanamakers delivers that moment reliably, visit after visit. The ice cream alone is worth adding an extra stop to your GPS.
Community At Its Core
Every morning, a group known as “The Morning Daves” gathers at Wanamakers over coffee. That detail alone tells you everything you need to know about this store.
Owner Kyra Hendricks has built something that goes far beyond retail. The store functions as a genuine community hub, a place where locals catch up, strangers become regulars, and everyone feels welcome from the first moment they walk in.
The friendly staff reinforces that feeling at every turn.
Cell service inside the store is famously unreliable, and somehow that makes things better. Without the constant pull of notifications, people actually talk to each other.
Conversations start at the deli counter and continue all the way to the parking lot. That is not an accident. It is the atmosphere Kyra has intentionally created.
For many locals, Wanamakers is the nearest full grocery stop without driving 20 to 30 miles in any direction. But for visitors, it is something else entirely: a reminder that community-centered spaces still exist and still matter.
History In Every Brick
The original brick portion of Wanamakers was built over a century ago using clay pulled straight from the local land. Those bricks are still holding strong today, and they have a story worth knowing.
The building has passed through five owners over its long life, each one adding a new chapter to what was already a remarkable history. Elias Hoppes opened the first general store on the site, and the Reinhart family carried it forward for decades after that.
David and Deborah Bond reopened it as Wanamakers General Store, and Tim and Annie Hungaski later renovated the building and brought it back to life after a quiet period. Kyra Hendricks then stepped in as manager, eventually becoming sole owner and officially the fifth person to hold that title.
Running a hand along those old brick walls feels like touching a timeline. Pennsylvania has countless historic buildings, but few of them still function as daily gathering places the way this one does.
What does it mean to keep a building this old not just preserved but genuinely useful? It means the community chose to invest in its own story.
Wanamakers did not end up historic by accident. It stayed relevant because people kept choosing it, generation after generation.
Gifts, Art, And Fishing
Not many stores can honestly say they sell handmade art, fishing bait, and locally crafted gifts all under the same roof. Wanamakers can say exactly that.
The gift shop side of the store features arts and crafts from local artists, making it a genuinely good place to find something meaningful to take home. Store-branded clothing sits alongside handmade pieces, and the selection rotates often enough that repeat visitors always find something new to consider.
Anglers have their own reason to stop in. The fishing supplies section stocks live bait, including nightcrawlers that visitors have praised for being fresh and affordable.
One happy fisherman reported catching great fish after picking up bait here, which is the kind of endorsement no advertising budget can buy.
The toy section adds another layer of fun, especially for families traveling with kids. It is the kind of store where every member of the group finds their own reason to linger a little longer than expected.
Have you ever walked into a store planning to spend five minutes and stayed for forty? That is the Wanamakers experience in a nutshell.
Pennsylvania road trips are full of unexpected stops, and this one manages to offer something for almost everyone who comes through the door. The variety is real, and so is the quality.
Plan Your Visit Right
Planning a stop at Wanamakers General Store is easy once you know the details, and the details are worth knowing before you hit the road.
The store is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 7 PM, Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM.
The address is 8888 Kings Hwy, Kempton, PA 19529, right in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. If you are already planning a hike at nearby Hawk Mountain, this store makes a perfect before or after stop.
The combination of fresh air and a fresh sandwich is hard to argue with.
Parking is easy, the store is well-organized and clean, and the staff is the kind of friendly that feels natural rather than rehearsed. First-time visitors often say they felt comfortable the moment they walked in.
What is the best time to visit? Honestly, any time the doors are open.
But arriving on a weekday morning puts you right in the middle of the regular crowd, the locals, the coffee drinkers, and the people who have been coming here for years. Pennsylvania does not get much more authentic than this.