Layne’s Country Store is expanding to the Richmond area. Pictured with mock-up signage. Photos courtesy of Mike Layne.
More than 60 years after opening a storefront in rural Rockbridge County, a family-owned retailer is expanding to Ashland.
Brothers Mike and Steve Layne will open the newest location of Layne’s Country Store & Amish Kettle at 11670 Lakeridge Parkway in the Shoppes at Winding Brook.
The store will officially open March 9 in a 2,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Salsas Mexican Grill. A grand opening is planned for mid-April.
Layne’s Country Store will sell food, including cured meats, peanuts, cheese, dry beans and candy, as well as leather goods, folk jewelry, hunting knives and more. Novelty items will be on hand as well – things like a replica half stick of dynamite, known in the shop as the hillbilly fish finder.
“It’s a step back in time to simplicity,” Mike Layne said. “Everyone is running in a rat race, and this is just a slowed-down atmosphere.”
The Amish Kettle side of the store will carry cheese, butter, jams, preserves and pickled items bought from Amish and Mennonite communities between Indiana and North Carolina.
Mike Layne
Layne said his parents opened the business in 1954 outside of Lexington, Virginia, selling items like recliners and TV sets alongside dry goods. He said the business existed in various forms and under different owners as far back as the 1880s.
“It was originally just a general store,” Layne said. “That was before the Walmarts were around. (In 1990) my mom had the idea to convert more toward Amish-made products.”
Layne, 54, said he used to get off the school bus and go to his family’s store to do homework in a back room before helping stock shelves and mop floors. With the location near his home in Ashland, Layne said he hopes to create a similar experience for his two sons.
“It’s kind of a legacy for them,” he said.
Winding Brook is already home to a Subway, Beef Jerky Outlet, Cigar Realm and its anchor, Bass Pro Shops.
“The real attraction was the traffic count was very high,” Layne said. “Bass Pro customers fit our profile.”
Layne said it would cost about $150,000 to get the Ashland shop open. The company is financing the expansion itself, along with help from M&T Bank.
Holladay Properties handles leasing for The Shoppes at Winding Brook. Colliers brokered the deal on Layne’s Country Store’s behalf.
Layne also runs his own bank consulting business and said he wants to eventually wind that down and grow the family business.
“I have my eye looking toward Bristol, Virginia,” he said. “Ultimately, we’d like to have four or six of these over the next three to five years.”
Layne’s Country Store is expanding to the Richmond area. Pictured with mock-up signage. Photos courtesy of Mike Layne.
More than 60 years after opening a storefront in rural Rockbridge County, a family-owned retailer is expanding to Ashland.
Brothers Mike and Steve Layne will open the newest location of Layne’s Country Store & Amish Kettle at 11670 Lakeridge Parkway in the Shoppes at Winding Brook.
The store will officially open March 9 in a 2,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Salsas Mexican Grill. A grand opening is planned for mid-April.
Layne’s Country Store will sell food, including cured meats, peanuts, cheese, dry beans and candy, as well as leather goods, folk jewelry, hunting knives and more. Novelty items will be on hand as well – things like a replica half stick of dynamite, known in the shop as the hillbilly fish finder.
“It’s a step back in time to simplicity,” Mike Layne said. “Everyone is running in a rat race, and this is just a slowed-down atmosphere.”
The Amish Kettle side of the store will carry cheese, butter, jams, preserves and pickled items bought from Amish and Mennonite communities between Indiana and North Carolina.
Mike Layne
Layne said his parents opened the business in 1954 outside of Lexington, Virginia, selling items like recliners and TV sets alongside dry goods. He said the business existed in various forms and under different owners as far back as the 1880s.
“It was originally just a general store,” Layne said. “That was before the Walmarts were around. (In 1990) my mom had the idea to convert more toward Amish-made products.”
Layne, 54, said he used to get off the school bus and go to his family’s store to do homework in a back room before helping stock shelves and mop floors. With the location near his home in Ashland, Layne said he hopes to create a similar experience for his two sons.
“It’s kind of a legacy for them,” he said.
Winding Brook is already home to a Subway, Beef Jerky Outlet, Cigar Realm and its anchor, Bass Pro Shops.
“The real attraction was the traffic count was very high,” Layne said. “Bass Pro customers fit our profile.”
Layne said it would cost about $150,000 to get the Ashland shop open. The company is financing the expansion itself, along with help from M&T Bank.
Holladay Properties handles leasing for The Shoppes at Winding Brook. Colliers brokered the deal on Layne’s Country Store’s behalf.
Layne also runs his own bank consulting business and said he wants to eventually wind that down and grow the family business.
“I have my eye looking toward Bristol, Virginia,” he said. “Ultimately, we’d like to have four or six of these over the next three to five years.”
Congratulations Mike and Steve !
I have made over 150,000 store visits within 80 mile radius of Richmond and never saw a better cross merchandised or cleaner location than the Lexington store. I cant wait to try everything including the half stick of dynamite.
Larry Henley
Larry,
Your kind words are appreciated and we always strive to deliver wholesome products, great service, and fair value to our customers.
We are fortunate to have this new opportunity to serve the public.
Mike Layne
Uncle Mike, Uncle Steve I am so proud of yall and I know daddy and grandpa Layne would have been too can’t wait to visit and see the new store !!!
Dear Mike,
My Granddaughter turned up today wearing a teeshirt bearing the logo from your store. When is your store going online so that I can buy one too?
Layne Aviss, Whitstable, Kent, UK
I wonder if we went back far enough we would be kin folks. My family has been in West Tn. for a bunch of generations.