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AROUND THE BEND: "IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT, YOU'D HEAR IT HERE" - Washburn Store Has Long History |
| (12/09/2025) |
August 23, 2023 - We returned to Washburn one more time to find the store locked, and missing, the years of porch sitters. April, 2021 - We returned 11 years later to check-in with the historic Washburn Store in Ritchie County (Rt. 16), likely established by the Sinnett family and the Washburn Brothers. Local men are still porch sittin', the old "liars bench", a throw-back to earlier times when people sat down with each other to communicate. A goodly group was assembled today, trading stories and tales. Always coming to mind is Judge Larry Whited's quote, "Everything I needed to known about life, I learned on the country store porch at Zona.
ORIGINAL STORY: IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT, YOU'D HEAR IT HERE" - Washburn Store Has Long History
 Ritchie's Washburn General Story keeps on truckin'
Porch sittin' is still a regular practice
Mark Lipscomb says he is the country By Bob Weaver The Washburn General Store in Ritchie County is a hold-over from time's past, with benches, tables and encouragement to sit a spell on the front porch. The store dates to about 1870, says current owner Mark Lipscomb. "We have a little bit of everything," he said, being the eighth owner of the establishment. The porch sitters said they are among regulars who meet at the store about every day, swap stories and sometimes pick and sing. "If you haven't heard it, you'd hear it here," said one bench sitter. In the rear of the store you'll find lots of items and artifacts from the stores earlier days. Store traffic was busy Saturday, with folks looking for fast snacks, groceries, or beer.
Washburn Store photo 1943 The old "Washburn Store Company" was owned by Newton, Clyde, and Ernest Washburn in 1943. Troy Nutt worked at the Washburn store and at the feed store owned by Washburn Brothers in Harrisville for many years. The Washburn brothers sold the store in 1945, according to Kristen (Nutt) Goodnight, who submitted the old photo.
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"Now much has changed in Washburn," said owner Mark Lipscomb, who has spent nearly all his life on Chevaux DeFrise Road just off WV State Rt. 16. The guys, some Vietnam War vets, come every day.
Lipscomb says they even come to sit a spell when he closes the store and is on vacation.
