Local Goods Report

By Paso Robles Press · Fri Mar 15 2024

Whoooo hoooooooooooooo!

Twelve years ago, we were looking for a place to open a store. We had plans (sell local goods!) and hopes (people will walk through the doors ... maybe even more than one at a time!) Like all people starting a business, we also had needs (make enough to pay our rent and maybe a little to pay ourselves) and terrors (what if people don’t understand what we’re trying to do?) Or, as I like to say when I’m overwhelmed, “What if no one comes to our party?!”

So many years later, to be named Best Overall Shopping and Retail in the North County feels like the best hug in the world. We deeply appreciate your trust, your enthusiasm, and your willingness to step offline and into the real-life doors of an actual, old school store. That you’ve come to our party over and over again, and had a good time ... it’s the happiest feeling as a shop owner. We’ve always tried to offer a place where people can feel that special Paso vibe while also finding something lovely, tasty, or useful to take home with them but none of that matters without people making that choice to drive or walk downtown to skip Amazon and choose their neighbors and friends instead.

To that end, there are just so many friends, neighbors, makers, employees, spouses, city officials, UPS and FedEx drivers, french fry providers, ribbon manufacturers, tech support experts, and more that keep us going. Thank you, guys, for keeping us fueled and running and stocked and staffed.

Most of all, thank you, customers. For bringing us honey from your hives, and scones on a wintry Tuesday. For writing us thank you notes for helping you with gift baskets (shouldn’t it be the other way around?) and See’s Candy, and updates on your pooch. For taking the time to say you like the new sign outside, or that you feel safe in our store, or that you went out of your way to buy your latest cookbook from us. Thank you for grooving to Steely Dan while you’re looking at the sweets table.

We love our work, and the people we do that work with that have become our chosen family. Thanks for the kudos; it means a ton ... I hope we’ll see you walk through our doors soon.

The Team at General Store Paso Robles

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