Elliott G.
Yelp
I love coming to this store, and have been for nearly 30 years since I was a little kid.
When you walk in, you'll arrive at the cashier and deli section, where you can buy sandwiches, coffee, baked goods, and a few deli items from a fridge. The sandwiches are pretty good. I've never been entirely impressed with them, but they hit the spot most days. I'd recommend the Apple Annie or the Thomas Jefferson. Make sure to ask for chips on the side, they're supposed to come with the sandwich but they don't always give them to you. I recommend walking across the street and eating at their picnic tables on the lake.
Walk in a little further and you've got an impressive candy aisle, some great wines, maple syrup, and a nice selection of cold drinks and beer. There's also a small variety of household goods and supermarket items. The basics mostly, like tomato sauce and sugar, toothbrushes and Advil.
Where Hero's Welcome really shines is what comes next, when you walk to the back half of the store. Its impressive inventory of cool, fun, and unusual knick-knacks are what always brings me back here! They've got all sorts of interesting and unique kitchen items and appliances, a giant shelf of metal tools that look like they came from a professional dentist, a fantastic array of sweatshirts, Vermont adorned merchandise, postcards made by locals, and wonderful smelling soaps and lotions. This might sound like a lot, but I'm barely scratching the surface. It's worth it to explore every corner.
Upstairs they have a great selection of books shelved by topic, beautiful maps, and kids' toys. I've always been particularly impressed by their collection of local authors and books about Vermont and Lake Champlain history. I have fond memories of racing up the stairs and picking out fun puzzles, games, and stuffed animals. You never know what you're going to find up there, but it's always something enjoyable.
Out back is a separate building where you can get water toys and lake accessories. They've got inflatable creatures, life vests, pool noodles and more. Bonus points if you remember the smoothie and pizza spot they were running out of here many years ago!
Mixed reviews on the staff - they'll have either quiet young people or standoffish islanders who act like they can't be bothered by the very tourists they lure to the store. It's always been like this and that's why I have to take off a star. I think if they were friendlier it would add so much to the atmosphere, but this aspect always disappoints me.
Overall, Hero's Welcome is a fun and memorable general store. It's been here as long as I've come to the lake and it's a big part of my childhood. While I wouldn't rave about the food nor the staff, the experience of the full store itself makes it well worth the visit!
