About Us
Growing up in Danbury, we always knew what a special place this is. When Jimmy bought the building in an auction we knew we had to do something to help our town and its people. We followed in our parent’s footsteps and opened a country store. Our mission is to provide you with a little bit of everything and to create and build relationships with community members and visiting tourists.
History of Our Family
The Phelps family is comprised of eleven children (June, Don, Kathy, Myrl, Jim, Dennis, Stanley, Ruby,…almost done…Audrey, Ruth and Dan). Our parents, Myrl and June Phelps, owned the Danbury Country Store in the late sixties and seventies. Although siblings Jim & Audrey own the store today you can often, well…always find their brothers and sisters at the store helping out or visiting.
History of the Store
Since 1875, the Danbury Country Store has served Danbury and the neighboring towns as well as the traveling public.
Opened shortly after the railroad came to Danbury, it has been a general store and gas station and offered rooms for rent in the upstairs. It was called the central house. The dance floor on the third floor has remained unchanged from the time it hosted dances and local gatherings.
There have been numerous owners in the 138 year history of the building. Herman Stuart operated the store from 1906 to 1919. Ora Hastings and later his son Horace and his wife Lillian were the proprietors of O.C. Hastings & Co. from 1921 until Lillian’s death in 1966.
The store sat idle from 1966 until it was purchased by Myrl and June Phelps. They reopened it with the help of their 11 children. They expanded the store to include what once was part of the living quarters on the Andover side of the building. They also purchased the Fowler house which sat between Route 104 and the store. That house was moved to the east side of the elementary school entrance.
Carol Heath was the owner from 1978 thru 2005. Carol acquired the distressed buildings on the Grafton side of the building and built the parking area that exists today.
In 2012, the Phelps family once again acquired the store and set about on an ambitious renovation during the winter of 2013 and reopened on May 1st, 2013. Included in this effort was a total rehabilitation of the interior to include a deli, public bathroom, new shelving and coolers. The outside efforts involved a new foundation under the building and the addition of gas and diesel tanks and pumps. These efforts also increased the parking and easy access for all. Over the last decade we have been expanding the store both internally and externally. From when we opened we expanded the store, added more coolers and a lower level to the back of the store, and added new gas pumps.
Now named the Danbury Country Store, it’s purpose has not changed from the original days of providing food and beverage and necessities to Danbury and the neighboring towns and the traveling public.
We welcome you and hope you are pleased with your “new” store.
Historical Pictures of Danburry
