Just off Highway 6, nestled at the end of Stevens Road, sits Doty General Store, one of Washington’s few remaining real old country stores. From vintage photos on the walls to cork boot nail marks in the original wood floor, the turn-of-the-century building is a relic from Doty’s logging heyday. Walking into the store is like stepping back in time.
The owners, Chris and Summer O’Shaughnessy, want to keep it that way. Although the pair have plans to make improvements to the business, they both feel strongly about preserving the store’s past.
“It’s important to us to keep that history alive,” said Chris. So, when they purchased the store in 2022, the O’Shaughnessys opted to keep some of the original furnishings. Historic photos, a vintage meat scale, an antique milk can, wooden crates, a turn-of-the-century typewriter, kerosene lanterns, and old logging gear displayed throughout the store help tell the story of Doty’s past.
Doty General Store’s History
And what a history! The Doty General Store was constructed in the early 1900s to serve the needs of the booming logging town. In its heyday, Doty’s population was believed to have rivaled that of Chehalis. It boasted a large lumber and shingle mill, a railroad depot, and a number of thriving businesses, including department stores, grocery stores, churches and saloons, a hotel and YMCA, a dance hall, and a roller rink. It even had its own school, plus a doctor and a dentist.
Today, the town is much smaller and quieter. Most of those original buildings are gone, many of them having burned down during the Great Depression. The Doty General Store, which houses the town’s post office, is one of the few remaining buildings from that time period.
It is believed to be the original building for a drug store and soda fountain, which the Stevens family operated. Under the management of the O’Shaughnessys, the store continues to offer customers the same good, old-fashioned service it has provided for over a century. That friendly, hometown feel is what draws residents and out-of-town visitors alike through their doors.
Doty Draws in the O’Shaughnessy Family
In fact, that welcoming, local charm is what first drew the O’Shaughnessys to Doty. Both nurses by occupation, Chris and Summer were not looking to buy a store. They simply wanted to raise their young son out in the country and spend more time with him.
“Around the time we were looking to sell our place in Centralia, my mom told me the Doty General Store was for sale and suggested we buy it,” Chris said. At first, he dismissed the idea, mistakenly thinking the store was the old, vacant service station on Stevens Road. Chris was not interested, but his mom told him he had the wrong place and insisted he drive all the way to the end of Stevens Road. They did. One look at the quaint country store and cozy home next door and the O’Shaughnessys were sold.
“We had never run a store before and didn’t know what we were doing,” Chris admitted. But with help from the previous owner, the couple learned the ropes and quickly endeared themselves to their new community.
Part of their success has been due to maintaining the store’s historic feel while slowly making it their own. “We want to continue to offer things people need, but we also want to be known for things you can’t get elsewhere.”
So, in addition to stocking basic food supplies, drinks, snacks, and animal feed, they also feature local and regional specialty products, including smoked oysters from Bay City, grass-fed meat from Heritage Meats in Rochester, seasonal fresh-cut flowers from The Wooster Farm in Pe Ell, locally made candles, and their own Doty-roasted coffee.
Doty General Store’s Mouthwatering Baked Goods
But their best-kept secret is Summer’s home-baked goods. In the works are plans to build a commercial kitchen where she can create her popular melt-in-your-mouth pastries, delicious sourdough bread, soups and sandwiches, and maybe, down the road, a once-a-month dinner. They envision a space for a cozy cafe that will only be open on the weekends.
“We don’t want to be tied to it,” Chris said. “We want to have plenty of time for our son.” Maintaining a healthy work-life balance while running the business hasn’t been easy for the couple. Still, the O’Shaughnessys are grateful for the opportunity to preserve the store’s history while raising their son in this very special community.
A Community Hub in Doty
The Doty General Store was and still is the small town’s social hub. During the summer, it’s where campers from Rainbow Falls State Park and bicyclists from the Willapa Hills Trail stop for ice cream, snacks, and a friendly chat. In the fall, folks come for their annual Fall Festival, complete with freshly pressed apple cider, homemade pastries, ice cream, live bluegrass music, and local vendors. At Christmastime, kids can get their photos with Santa at the store. It’s where folks have been coming to get their mail, milk, and local gossip for over a hundred years.
Chris, who grew up in the nearby small town of Menlo, naturally makes customers feel at home. Whether they come by car, bicycle, horse, or tractor, he greets everyone who walks through the door with a smile and takes time to sit and visit. “There are so few country stores left,” he said. “It’s nice to go to one where they know your name.”
Author’s note: A longtime Doty resident who was born in 1935 told me the store has been standing as long as she can remember. But the exact date it was built has been harder to nail down. Lewis County records state the store building was constructed in 1935. However, other sources seem to contradict that information. A 1979 article from the Daily Chronicle said that the Doty General Store and Post Office occupied an original building for a drug store and soda fountain operated by the Stevens family. Historical photos of Dr. Stevens in the Doty Drug Store are dated 1920. Whether or not this is the same building as the current store is unknown.
Doty General Store
212 Stevens Road, Chehalis
