Avery's is the real thing - a true general store with staff who know their stuff and are easy to deal with. The standouts are the meat counter where you can get the best steak around, the hardware section, and the work boots.

A true general store. They have everything you need for a life in the country. Definitely worth a stop if you are driving the Mohawk Trail. I like the clothing selection. Not a destination, but a stop along the way. NOT a cutesy touristy destination; a sensible place to get groceries, hardware, clothing, other supplies.

The locals claim that "if Avery's doesn't have it, you don't need it." The thing is, every square inch is covered with items you might not have even known existed, and certainly wouldn't have guessed their use. Even the ceiling is filled with items suspended with all manner of goods. Hardware is their stock in trade; don't miss the back rooms of hardware you probably thought no longer existed - none prepackaged, all sold by weight or quantity (you can buy a single nail or screw if that's all you need). Dennis Avery, the resident paint expert, and his wife Karen, who selects the well-made utilitarian and delightful clothing carried by the store, are the owners and offer advice on how to repair it, how to use it, and even how to cook it; Avery's carries a full line of groceries and has its own in-house butcher shop. If you lived nearby you'd depend on Avery's on a daily (hourly) basis, but if you're just passing through the glorious Deerfield river valley, visit Avery's if only to see what American commercial life was like before the big box stores. You'll quickly realize that life was substantially better, infinitely more charming, and exceedingly efficient as well. The staff are uniformly friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and they say the gossip among customers in line is absolutely riveting. Quintessentially American, Avery's is also reminiscent of a European market in terms of its quality and civility.