Nestled in the quaint Village of Northville, on the shores of Great Sacandaga Lake, the Northville 5 & 10 is the oldest continuously operating five and dime store in the United States. Established in 1907, the business moved to its present location at 122 S. Main Street in 1914. Stocked with just about everything you could possible need, this vintage variety store invites you to stroll through its aisles, savoring not only the incredible selection of merchandise but the historic building itself. While embossed tin ceilings, intricate molding, and creaking wood floors attest to the store’s longevity, its nostalgic charm is further enhanced by the many antiques that store owner Susan Correll prominently displays on upper shelves.
Seven years ago, faced with the rapid rise of big box and dollar stores, the Northville 5 & 10 found itself struggling to compete. Determined to revitalize the store and regain customers, Susan and her husband, Brian, decided to visit successful five and dime stores along the east coast and see what made them tick.
“We visited stores in Niagara Falls, New Hampshire, and West Virginia,” Brian recalls. “Everywhere we stopped, Susan insisted on trying the fudge. Afterwards, she’d always say, ‘I can make better fudge than this!’”
Susan wasn’t a seasoned candy-maker, but she was determined to make the best-ever fudge. And she succeeded!
“We’ve carried Susan’s homemade fudge for four years now,” Brian says proudly. “We usually stock 12-15 different varieties at a time.”
“Dark chocolate caramel sea salt is the storewide favorite,” adds store manager/retail specialist Elayne Wade, “with peanut butter a close second.”
Free samples are available to help customers decide between mouthwatering varieties such as blueberry cheesecake, rocky road, Snickers, Cinnabon, jalapeno, orange cream, and raspberry/chocolate swirl.
Following their road trip, the Corrells expanded their candy aisle to include nearly 300 varieties of sweet treats, many of them old-time and seasonal favorites. They added a Vintage Toys corner, separate from their regular toy section, offering gag gifts and retro items that baby boomers and their elders are thrilled to see again.
“We’re proud to be a multigenerational store,” Elayne says. “We want all our visitors to recognize toys and other items from their childhood. And we never price-gouge or go by ‘suggested retail.’ If we can get things at a discounted price, we pass that savings along to our customers.”
The Northville 5 & 10 also carries an impressive line of camping supplies, spices, clothing, craft supplies, Adirondack books, and countless other items.
“Our merchandise is never fixed,” Elayne says. “We have new things coming in every week, and we always welcome suggestions from our customers. If we can find it, we will carry it.”
In 2018, the Corrells were awarded a $500,000 New York State grant to renovate their Northville store and an even older building located next door, also owned by Susan. Administered through the NYS Office of Community Renewal’s Main Street Anchor Project, this unprecedented grant enabled them to double their store’s retail space by refurbishing its 3000 sq-ft. second floor, last used in the 1920s as a community room. Today, the newly-opened upstairs—with its grand staircase and stair lift, beautifully refinished floorboards of alternating maple and cherry wood, stained-glass half-circle windows, and historic doors and fixtures—houses an extensive line of clothing and accessories for children and adults.
The adjacent 1890s building, located at 132 S. Main Street, was in deplorable condition when purchased. But Susan, who has long been drawn to historic architecture, was determined to restore the building to its former glory. Currently in the final stages of renovation, it will soon reopen as a multi-purpose building with two offices and a large apartment upstairs and a restaurant downstairs. Brian describes the new restaurant as a coffee house/bistro with Victorian ambiance, in keeping with the structure’s historic roots.
“Renovating these two buildings has been a massive undertaking,” Brian reflects, “and it really has been a team effort. Susan and I are grateful to the people of Northville and to our village and county officials for their continued patience, encouragement, and support.”
When asked about future goals for the Northville 5 & 10, Elayne Wade doesn’t hesitate.
“I’d like to see our store become a destination store. Not just a store people wander into while visiting Northville but a store that people make a point of revisiting regularly throughout the year.”
Brian shoots her a big smile. “Susan and I couldn’t agree more.”
So, come on in to this amazing Northville store! Experience history, happiness, and a whole lot more.
For more info, visit Northville5and10.com
