Hometown shopping at Frey’s General Store

STAPLETON, Neb. (KOLN) - A full-service general store is sometimes hard to find in a small town. But in Stapleton, Frey’s General Store is a place where you can get what you need.

We caught up with the owners of Frey’s General Store to talk about it. “We bought the place in 1979,” Steve Frey said. “My dad and I and brother ran it for a while. Then in the 90′s, Cindy and I took it over.” Steve has been working at the store since 1978. “The store used to have lots of livery stuff in here when we bought it,” Steve said. “It used to be a hardware store. The building itself has probably been around since 1912.”

When you walk into the store, you’ll see the wood floors and tin ceilings. The owners say that’s all original. “We try to have all the hardware farmers and ranchers would need,” Cindy Frey said. “We have plumbing, heating, hydraulic hoses. I have a few gift items. One of the things we like is that I have a tanning bed upstairs, and we sell farm fresh eggs.”

Some people ask about the six-hole outhouse seat above the door. That is usually a conversation starter. There are many antiques and vintage items displayed on the walls. “There’s usually a story on everything.”

The store offers extended hours for customers, usually from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “We cater to our farmers and ranchers,” Cindy said. “Here you can come in an just buy three nails, you don’t have to buy a pack. I count them out. I think that’s unique.” As you might imagine, customer service is a top priority at the store. “When people walk in, they know they are going to get helped,” Cindy said. “A lot of these farmers like the fact that if they need something, they don’t have to drive 30 miles to find a hardware store,” Steve said.

The general store isn’t the only business the Frey’s have. “We also have a storage business,” Cindy said. “Next door in what used to be the old movie theater, in the front of it, we’ve put in what’s called ‘The Bunkhouse’, which is a rental by the day, week or month. Also we manage Mill Iron Campground.” Keep all of this in mind when you are traveling this summer, and be sure to stop by Frey’s General Store for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.

Copyright 2023 KOLN. All rights reserved.