The Same Family Has Owned This Kentucky General Store Since the 1850s

What I've learned about a small Kentucky business nestled in a town with the coolest name I've ever heard has got me thinking about another family-owned enterprise right here in my hometown.

While visiting Reid's Orchard in Owensboro recently, I saw the sign marking 150 years in business. It's from 2023, but I can understand leaving it up and, really, leaving it up until they hit the next milestone. Having opened in 1873 and still being as busy as ever is beyond momentous and something to celebrate every day and every year, going forward.

Penn's Store

Now, let's take a quick road trip to that small town with the cool name and look into another business whose longevity is reminiscent of Reid's Orchard. Located in Gravel Switch, Kentucky (which sounds like a fictional town from The Waltons), Penn's Store is a humble little establishment that's been owned and operated by the same family since its opening. What's most impressive about that fact is that it opened in 1850, a decade before the Civil War, and that makes it the nation's oldest single-family-owned country store.

The History of Penn's Store

Patriarch Gabriel Jackson Penn, whom everyone called "Jack," was the initial proprietor, with ownership and the operation of the business being passed down through the generations until we get to 2025.

Its quaint small size belies its original look when the store was surrounded by multiple buildings like a spirits shop, a chicken coop, and a makeshift drugstore. And if you're thinking the Penn name has a familiar ring, you're right. The website features the family genealogy, which traces back to Pennsylvania founder William Penn, and beyond.

Penn's Store in 2025

Today, Penn's Store is an active business in Marion County, Kentucky, with plenty of tourist foot traffic to keep it going. You're also likely to wander into Penn's during a pop-up "jam session."

Penn's Store has also hosted Kentucky Writers Weekends, named for a family matriarch.

If you're in or close to Marion County, you have to visit Penn's, so here's a map.

And don't forget the souvies.