The Country Store
The Country Store
Bog Road & 340 Main Street
East Vassalboro, Kennebec County, Maine
From the Echoes, Still: Maine's Industrial Remnants Collection (2024–2028)
Neighborhoods Portfolio
Historical Narrative
The Country Store of East Vassalboro: A Community Landmark on Bog Road and Main Street
Kevin LeDuc Pigment print on Hahnemühle Baryta Edition of 5 + 1 Artist's Proof (Portfolio of 40 Images)
Paper Size: 40 × 55 inches Image Size: 31.33 × 37 inches Borders: Approximately 4 inches (All Sides)
Historic Significance
The Country Store at the corner of Bog Road and Main Street in East Vassalboro is historically significant as a representative example of the traditional rural Maine general store and its important role in village life. Established in the nineteenth century, the store served generations of residents by providing essential goods and services in an era when rural communities depended on locally operated businesses. Its long history reflects the development of small-town commerce in Maine, where general stores functioned not only as retail establishments but also as gathering places where residents exchanged information, maintained social connections, and participated in community life.
The property is particularly significant for its association with the Cates family, who owned and operated the store for more than a century through four generations. From the Civil War era until 1971, the Cates family maintained the store as a dependable source of groceries, meats, hardware, feed, and household necessities. Their operation preserved many traditions of the rural general store, including personal service, community interaction, and a close relationship between merchant and customer. The family’s Quaker values also shaped the character of the business, reflected in practices such as closing on Sundays and declining to sell alcoholic beverages. The store became remembered not only for the goods it provided, but also for its welcoming atmosphere and role as a center of village life.
Beyond its commercial function, the Country Store represents the social history of East Vassalboro. Generations of residents used the store as a place to gather, share news, discuss local affairs, and maintain community relationships. After the Cates family ownership ended in 1971, the building continued to serve local needs as a country store and convenience store before later being adapted for new uses. Its continued presence at the historic crossroads of Bog Road and Main Street demonstrates the lasting importance of community landmarks in rural Maine and highlights the value of preserving historic
Historical Narrative
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The Country Store of East Vassalboro: A Community Landmark on Bog Road and Main Street
For more than a century, the Country Store at the corner of Bog Road and Main Street in East Vassalboro, Maine, served as far more than a place of commerce. Like many rural New England general stores, it functioned as a marketplace, gathering place, and informal center of community life. From its origins in the nineteenth century through the present day, the building has reflected the changing needs of East Vassalboro while remaining an important symbol of village identity.
The store was established in the mid-nineteenth century and became one of East Vassalboro’s most important businesses. Around the time of the Civil War, the property was purchased by the Cates family, who operated the store for more than one hundred years through four generations. The Cates family’s long ownership made the store a fixture of village life, with generations of residents associating the business with the family name and its dependable service.¹
The last Cates proprietor was Benjamin “Ben” Cates, who purchased the store and operated it for fourteen years before selling the business in 1971. His sale ended more than a century of continuous Cates family ownership. The Cates era represented the traditional rural general store model, where a small business provided not only essential goods but also a social gathering place for the surrounding community.²
During the Cates years, the Country Store carried the necessities of everyday rural life. Customers came for groceries, fresh meats, dry goods, hardware, animal feed, and household supplies. Before the widespread availability of supermarkets and large retail stores, establishments like the Country Store provided local families with many of the goods needed for daily living without traveling to larger communities. The store also developed a reputation for personal service and familiarity; customers were often known by name, and visits to the store frequently included conversation and news about local events.³
The store’s importance extended beyond buying and selling. The building served as an informal community gathering place where neighbors exchanged news, played cards, discussed politics, and visited with one another. Local residents remembered children stopping in for penny candy, farmers arriving for supplies, and townspeople gathering around the store’s porch. Notices, petitions, and community information were often shared through the store, making it an important communication point within East Vassalboro.⁴
The Cates family’s operation of the store was also shaped by their membership in the local Quaker (Friends) community. Their beliefs influenced the way the business was conducted. The store traditionally remained closed on Sundays and did not sell alcoholic beverages, even though those choices limited potential income. The business became known for its integrity, hospitality, and connection to the community. One of the store’s remembered specialties was its homemade veal loaf, which became a local favorite and contributed to the store’s reputation.⁵
After Ben Cates sold the store in 1971, the property passed through several private owners and continued to operate as a country store and convenience store. Although the names of all operators during the following decades require additional deed and newspaper research, the store remained an important local stop for many years. During this period, the business evolved with changing times, offering groceries, deli foods, beverages, gasoline, and everyday household items. Like many small rural stores, it faced increasing competition from larger supermarkets and convenience chains. Eventually, the business closed, but the building remained a recognizable landmark in East Vassalboro.⁶
In the twenty-first century, efforts were made to preserve the historic building through adaptive reuse. In 2023, Tim and Heather Dutton received approval to renovate the former Country Store and reopen the building as a pizza and sandwich shop. The project represented a continuation of the building’s historic role as a gathering place, adapting the structure for a new generation while preserving its connection to the community’s past.⁷
The history of the Country Store reflects the broader story of rural Maine. It represents a time when small village stores served as essential centers of commerce and social interaction. Through generations of Cates family ownership and later changes in operation, the building at Bog Road and Main Street has remained a visible reminder of East Vassalboro’s traditions, community relationships, and changing economic landscape.
Footnotes
Town of Vassalboro, “Country Store History,” Town of Vassalboro Annual Report (Vassalboro, Maine: Town of Vassalboro, 2013), accessed August 2, 2026.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
“Vassalboro Planners Approve Re-Use of Country Store,” The Town Line (2023), accessed August 2, 2026.
Ibid.
Bibliography
“Vassalboro Planners Approve Re-Use of Country Store.” The Town Line. 2023. Accessed August 2, 2026.
Town of Vassalboro. “Country Store History.” Town of Vassalboro Annual Report. Vassalboro, Maine: Town of Vassalboro, 2013. Accessed August 2, 2026