Symons General Store

Symons General Store first opened its doors in Petoskey during June of 1960.  The store occupied the bottom floor of the oldest brick structures in Petoskey.  At the time, the building had no plumbing or electricity & it was the goal of Tom Symons to create a store unlike any other.  After renovating the building, Tom added a new facade as well as what would become the “wine cellar”. The store was originally supplied with coffee, spices & other rarities by historically famous S.S. Pierce & Haddon House.  In addition, Tom was a leader in importing gourmet products directly to the front steps on Lake Street.  Further, it was Norm Viviano, Joe Ganci & Pat Mankowski of Viviano Wine Distributors in Detroit that helped Tom start this now famous wine collection.  For the first time, locals were introduced to the elegance of gourmet foods. In the late ‘70s, Lynne Symons introduced Symons General Store & it’s patrons to the world of freshly baked croissants, breads & cookies.  In addition, Symons General Store now made delicious sandwiches utilizing Usinger’s Meats of Milwalkee.  This represents the first time the company would offer freshly baked and ready to eat foods.  As it turned out, it not only worked, it was the catalyst for the changes to come. Today, you will continue to find a world class selection of imported & domestic cheeses, pates & wines.  Come in and let us share three generations of wisdom about the finer things in life.