Seven West Virginia Company Towns Where The Old Coal Store Buildings Still Stand

Round a bend on a quiet hollow road in West Virginia and you might spot it: a big brick or stone building that looks far too grand for the tiny town around it. Chances are, that was the company store, the place where coal families once bought flour, boots, and penny candy with scrip.

These buildings were the heart of every mining camp, and a handful still stand today, holding onto stories that many of our grandparents lived. Pack a thermos, grab your memories, and come see seven of them before time takes any more.

1. Whipple Company Store, Scarbro, WV

Six sides on the bottom, eight on the top. Few buildings in the Mountain State look anything like the Whipple Company Store, and that odd shape is exactly why folks slow down when they pass it on WV-612.

Coal operator Justus Collins reportedly built the wooden store around 1890 for the Whipple Colliery operations, later tied to the New River Coal Company. Historical accounts say it was one of four similar stores he put up in the New River area, and it is often described as the only one left.

Inside, families could find groceries, furniture, and household goods, while the building also held company offices, a post office, and a doctor’s office.

Miners were frequently paid in scrip, and in an isolated camp like Whipple, this store was reportedly where nearly every paycheck ended up. After the mine closed in 1957, the building kept going as a trading post for years and later served as a museum.

Museum hours have come and gone over time, so check ahead before making a special trip. Even from the roadside, the architecture tells a story worth hearing.

You will find it at 7485 WV-612, Scarbro, WV 25917, right in the old Whipple community of Fayette County.

2. Itmann Company Store, Itmann, WV

Tennessee Ernie Ford sang about owing his soul to the company store, and if you ever wanted to picture one, Itmann is the place. Many historians call it one of the most spectacular coalfield buildings surviving anywhere in West Virginia.

Built between about 1923 and 1925 for the Pocahontas Fuel Company, the store was designed by Bluefield architect Alexander B. Mahood.

Skilled Italian immigrant stonemasons reportedly shaped the cut stone by hand. The town itself took its name from financier Isaac T.

Mann, which explains that unusual spelling.

Over the decades, the building has served as a post office, storage space, and even a shelter. It once held company offices and more alongside the store counters, making it the true center of camp life.

Curious visitors often point out an old elevator shaft that runs down below ground level.

Honestly, the building has seen better days, yet the masonry remains remarkably solid. Admission is free as a historic landmark, and reports suggest restoration interest has grown in recent years.

Look for it along State Hwy 10, Itmann, WV 24847, in the heart of Wyoming County’s Pocahontas Coalfield country. Bring a camera, because photos rarely do this stonework justice.

3. Houston Coal Company Store, Kimball, WV

Red clay tile on a coal camp roof? Down in McDowell County, that surprise is waiting at the mouth of Carswell Hollow near Kimball.

The Houston Coal Company Store dates to 1923 and shows off an Italian Renaissance look that was fashionable in the 1920s. Detailed brickwork and that tile roof, once fitted with skylights, give it a polish most people never expect from a mining town building.

Later, the Koppers Coal Company took over operations, so older locals may remember hearing it called the Koppers store.

Picture a Saturday in the Roaring Twenties here. Miners’ wives shopping for yard goods and canned peaches, kids eyeing the candy jars, men settling up accounts after a long week underground.

Stores like this one were often the only real shopping for miles around.

The building sits near U.S. Route 52, which makes it an easy stop for anyone following the Coal Heritage Trail through the southern coalfields.

It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a fine honor for a hardworking little building. Treat it as a roadside stop rather than an attraction with services, and admire it respectfully.

The address is 13 King Carswell Rd, Kimball, WV 24853, tucked into the Norfolk and Western rail corridor.

4. The New River Company, Oakwood Store, Scarbro, WV

Here is a little secret for back-road wanderers: Scarbro has more than one company store story. Just a short drive from the famous Whipple building, the New River Company’s Oakwood Store sits quietly in the Oakwood section of this Fayette County coal community.

The New River Company was one of the big names in the Fayette County coalfields, running camps up and down the region. Rather than one giant store for everyone, the company operated branch stores in its various communities.

Oakwood was one of those retail branches, serving the families who lived and worked close by.

That setup meant a shorter walk for mothers hauling groceries up the hill, and a familiar clerk who probably knew every child’s name. It was local shopping in the truest sense, long before the word got trendy.

Today, the building is a simple, honest reminder of those days rather than a polished museum, and it is always neat to see an old company store still standing. Pair it with a stop at Whipple for a half-day of Scarbro history.

Find it at 6603 Okey L Patteson Rd, Scarbro, WV 25917. Please view it from the road and respect private property, as many of these buildings are privately held.

5. Peerless Coal Company Store, Welch, WV

Some places need a storyteller, and Vivian seems to attract them. Tucked along Browns Creek just outside Welch, the Peerless Coal and Coke Company Store stands empty now, but its history still gets shared by friendly locals who happen to pass by.

Vivian is one of those small McDowell County mining communities that once bustled when coal was king. The Peerless company built its store as the center of daily life here, and the structure has held on long after the shelves emptied.

McDowell County was once among the top coal-producing counties in the nation, and towns like Vivian were a big reason why. Many families across West Virginia can trace a grandfather or great-uncle back to hollows just like this one.

The building is abandoned, so plan to admire it from outside. Weathered walls and old windows make for striking photographs, especially in soft autumn light.

Visitors frequently call it an important part of coal mining history and well worth the drive.

Combine it with a stop in Welch for lunch and a stroll downtown. The location is listed as Vivian, McDowell County Browns Creek, Welch, WV 24801.

Do you have family roots near Browns Creek? Those memories matter.

6. The Corner Shop, Bramwell, WV

Bramwell reportedly once had more millionaires per capita than almost anywhere in the country, thanks to the coal barons who built mansions along its streets. Now you can taste a bit of that old-time charm with a spoon.

The Corner Shop sits inside a historic coal-era commercial building on Main Street and runs as a 1950s-style soda fountain. Servers dress in old-fashioned soda shop attire, and the menu leans into comfort: burgers, pizza, fries, hot dogs, chicken strips, and an Aunt Bea BLT that feels straight out of Mayberry.

Save room for dessert. Hot fudge sundaes, a Nutty Buddy sundae, root beer floats, and hand-mixed Coca-Cola made the old way with syrup and carbonated water keep families coming back.

Its milkshakes have even been voted among the best in the state.

Portions are generous and prices friendly, which makes it great for a fixed-income treat day. There is a patio, free parking, and a relaxed, kid-friendly feel.

Hours run Monday through Wednesday 11 AM to 4 PM and Thursday through Saturday 11 AM to 8 PM, closed Sunday. Saturday afternoons get busiest.

Stop by 171 Main St, Bramwell, WV 24715.

7. Thurmond Historic Town, Thurmond, WV

No paved main street here. In Thurmond, the railroad tracks are the main street, with old brick storefronts lined up right beside the rails as if the trains might still bring in a payroll any minute.

During the coal and rail boom, this New River Gorge town reportedly handled some of the heaviest freight traffic on the Chesapeake and Ohio line. Banks, stores, and hotels crowded the narrow riverbank.

Today the town is largely empty, yet its original commercial buildings still stand, protected within the national park.

Start at the restored depot, which serves as a visitor center with a small museum, gift shop, and restrooms. Exhibits help explain the people and industry that shaped the gorge, a nice balance to all that natural scenery.

Trains still rumble through, so watch your step and stay alert near the tracks.

Even the drive down is a treat, winding through thick forest to the river bottom. Parking is free, and the grounds are open around the clock, though depot hours vary seasonally.

History buffs and casual sightseers alike tend to leave impressed.

You will find Thurmond Historic Town at 174 Main St, Thurmond, WV 25936. Who else remembers riding the train through here?