OUR STORY
A Place to Gather, Then and Now
For generations, this corner has brought people together. It began as a tavern for travelers along the early roads of New England and continues today as a restaurant and country store rooted in that same spirit of hospitality.
Whether you are stopping in for a relaxed meal, picking up something to go, finding a gift, or visiting the area for the Wliiams College, the Clark Art Institute, MassMOCA, or the outdoors, the experience is warm, familiar, and unhurried.
This is more than a place to eat. It is part of the fabric of the community and continues a tradition that began long before modern Williamstown took shape.
THE BEGINNINGS
At the Crossroads Since 1767
This land was a crossroads long before European settlers arrived. Mahican trails crossed here, near where Hancock Brook meets the Green River.
In 1762, Isaac Stratton built the first cabin on this site, marking the earliest known settlement at what had already become a well-traveled intersection connecting western Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York. Three years later, Samuel Sloan, a blacksmith and land speculator, purchased the land and built the tavern that stands today. You can still see the original wood posts in the wall near the kitchen.
From the beginning, this was a place for rest, food, conversation, and community. Travelers stopped here on long journeys, and local residents gathered here as well. Over time, the tavern became woven into the life of Williamstown and the surrounding region.
What began as a practical stop along the road became something more lasting. It became a place people returned to.
REVOLUTIONARY TIMES
A Tavern Serves a Young Nation
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, the tavern became the center of life in South Williamstown. From this corner, Samuel Sloan led local minutemen to Charlestown and the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.
Two years later, in August 1777, a company of South Williamstown citizen soldiers gathered here to join General John Stark at the Battle of Bennington. Nearly two dozen of those men are buried today in Southlawn Cemetery, just across the brook from the store.
On August 30, 1790, President George Washington stopped here for breakfast while traveling on horseback from Lebanon Springs, New York to Bennington, Vermont. His journey was part of a tour of the young nation as Vermont prepared to join the Union, and his visit to the tavern was later recorded by Grace Greylock Niles in The Hoosac Valley, Its Legends and Its History.
After the Revolution, Samuel Sloan sold the tavern and built a new home in town, a building that today serves as the residence of the President of Williams College.
Nearly two dozen of those men are buried today in Southlawn Cemetery, just across the brook from the tavern.
First known photo of the Store at Five Corners from the 1880s.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROWS
An Inn, Store, and Community Hub
Through the 19th century, the building passed through several owners but remained central to life in South Williamstown. It operated as both an inn and a gathering place, adapting to the needs of the community.
Between 1833 and 1865, owner John Jordan added a second story with a porch across the front. The upstairs meeting room was used every third year for town meetings. The property also served as a stagecoach depot, with a livery stable next door, and housed the first Post Office in South Williamstown.
In the early 1900s, when New Ashford Road was widened, the entire building was moved back from the road. It was jacked up, set on logs, and pulled to its current location by 25 teams of horses. The move was completed in three days by local workers and neighbors.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
The Country Store Era
In 1905, new owner John Steele closed the inn and reopened the building as a grocery store, with living quarters above. Over time, the Store came to define daily life in South Williamstown, serving as a place to shop, to gather, and to stay connected.
During the Great Depression, the Store became something more. Thomas Steele, who continued the family’s stewardship, allowed neighbors to run up tabs he knew they could never repay. These quiet acts of generosity helped sustain local families through difficult times.
Another story, remembered by longtime residents, captures the spirit of the place. Children would collect redeemable bottles from the front porch, exchange them for a penny, and spend it on candy inside. Afterward, Mr. Steele would return the bottles to the porch so the ritual could begin again—a small but telling gesture that reflected both kindness and a sense of community.
For many, the building became known simply as “Steele’s Corners,” a name that endured for decades and still echoes in local memory today.
THE VANDERBILT ERA
Renamed The Store At Five Corners
Through the mid-20th century, the building remained part of daily life in South Williamstown. It operated as a grocery store, with gas pumps out front, and continued to serve both neighbors and travelers. By the late 1970s, however, that continuity was at risk. After more than two centuries of continuous use, the building faced demolition and possible replacement by a fast food franchise.
In 1978, William Vanderbilt, former Governor of Rhode Island, and his wife, Helen, stepped in and saved the building. Having retired to a nearby farm and becoming part of the community, they learned of the building’s possible fate and purchased the property, renaming it The Store at Five Corners.
Despite his prominence, Vanderbilt was a familiar and approachable presence at the Store. He was often seen outside pumping gas for visitors—an everyday gesture that reflected the Store’s enduring tradition of personal connection.
In 1993, that legacy was formally recognized when the building was designated as part of the Five Corners Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
ENTERING THE 21st CENTURY
Closed, Then Restored by the Community
When the Store at Five Corners closed in 2011 after more than 240 years, it marked the first break in a tradition that had defined this crossroads for generations. It had long been regarded as one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in the United States.
The years that followed brought uncertainty. The Store was closed intermittently for a few years and then more permanently in 2020, leaving its future unclear.
In response, members of the South Williamstown community came together in late 2021 to form the Store at Five Corners Stewardship Association, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting the building for future generations.
On January 27, 2022, the Association purchased the property for $400,000 and began work to stabilize and restore the structure, addressing critical repairs, improving accessibility, and preparing the Store to reopen.
On August 16, 2022, the Store reopened as a café and market under the leadership of chef Corey Wentworth, whose experience includes restaurants in Boston, Portland, Maine, and North Adams. The Store once again became a place where neighbors gather and travelers stop. In November 2025, the store closed once again. Although this time, they knew it would be temporary.
TODAY
Open Again at Five Corners
In spring 2026, The Store at Five Corners begins a new chapter under the operation of Colleen Taylor and Bay State Hospitality Group.
Colleen and her brother Sean Taylor have been part of the Northern Berkshires restaurant community since 1992, when they opened the Freight Yard Pub in North Adams. Over the decades, Bay State Hospitality has grown to include the Trail House Kitchen and Bar, the Craft Food Barn, and Berkshire Catering Company. The work remains family-centered, with Colleen’s siblings, Maureen and Philip Taylor, also part of the Store.
Colleen brings a personal connection to Williamstown as well. Her children attended Mount Greylock Regional School, and she is already part of the community the Store has long served.
“We’re looking forward to being part of the South Williamstown community,” she said. “We’ll offer basic groceries alongside prepared food and gifts, and we’ve moved the big table to the center of the store—a place where people can gather over coffee or stop in for what they need.”
That instinct—to serve both daily needs and a sense of connection—has defined this corner for more than two centuries.
Starting in April, The Store at Five Corners will be open daily, serving breakfast, lunch, coffee, and provisions, continuing a tradition that has long brought people together..
Information contained in this history is courtesy of the The Store at Five Corners Stewardship Association and the Williamstown Historical Museum. This story is written by Roger Matus.
The Store at Five Corners is owned by The Store at Five Corners Stewardship Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving this historic building for the community. For more information about the Association and its ongoing work, visit storeatfivecorners.org.
For more information about the Five Corners Historic District, visit the Williamstown Historical Museum at whmuseum.org.