·We’re bringing it back·
·The Mission·
Welcome to Alderton General. We’re on a mission to restore and reimagine a historic general store in the valley between Sumner and Orting, Washington—and we’re inviting you to help us bring it back to life. Every piece of merchandise sold and every contribution made through this site directly supports the work of restoring the store and opening its doors once again.
Our vision is to build more than a specialty grocery or charming retail space. We want to create an unforgettable experience rooted in good food, craftsmanship, nourishment, and belonging. A place to pick up something wonderful for dinner, grab some freshly baked bread, discover thoughtfully made goods, and feel connected to the people and place around you.
Alderton General is a one-of-a-kind legacy project: a historic place given new purpose, built to last, and designed to serve the valley’s families for generations to come. By shopping our goods, purchasing a personalized brick, or contributing directly to the restoration, you’re helping turn that vision into something real—one purchase, one brick, and one piece of this old store at a time.
Together, we’re not just opening a store. We’re bringing a piece of Alderton’s history back to life.
·Fundraising Products·
Leave your business's mark on Alderton General—permanently.
Your custom 8" × 8" engraved business brick will become a permanent part of the walkways and gathering spaces surrounding Alderton General Store, helping us bring this historic landmark back to life—one brick at a time.
Feature your business name, logo, or both, and become part of a destination that families, neighbors, and visitors will enjoy for generations. It's a unique way to show your support for local history while giving your business lasting visibility in the heart of the community. Whether you're a small family business, a local service provider, or a longtime community partner, your engraved brick is a meaningful way to stand alongside a project that is bringing people together.
Each brick will be professionally laser-engraved with your approved artwork and installed at Alderton General Store. Your brick will not be shipped to you. It will be sent directly to Alderton General and incorporated into the walkways and paved areas surrounding the store.
Logos and artwork must be suitable for a family-friendly public space. We reserve the right to reject or request changes to submissions containing profanity, offensive imagery, or otherwise inappropriate content.
Years from now, your customers, employees, family, and friends will be able to walk the grounds, spot your brick, and know that your business helped restore a beloved piece of Alderton history. It's more than advertising—it's a legacy of community investment.
Please note:
FINAL BRICK MAY DIFFER IN APPEARANCE FROM THE PROVIDED IMAGE.
All sales are final. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
A timeless, hardworking tote crafted from durable 100% cotton canvas in natural and deep heritage green. Designed with reinforced handles, a spacious gusseted base, exterior and interior pockets, and a snap closure, it’s made for everything from farmers market hauls to everyday adventures. Finished with custom Alderton General artwork and thoughtful heritage-inspired details.
The Psalm referenced on the bag’s reverse side is Psalms 50:10-11:
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.”
Please note:
This item is made to order and will ship approximately 90 days after purchase.
All sales are final. We are unable to accept returns or exchanges unless your item arrives damaged. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
Leave your mark on Alderton General—quite literally.
Your personalized brick will become a permanent part of the walkways and paved spaces surrounding the store, helping us build Alderton General one brick at a time. Memorialize someone you love, commemorate a special date, celebrate your family, mark a milestone, or simply put your name into a little piece of Alderton history.
Each brick will be professionally laser-engraved with your personalized message and installed at Alderton General Store. The brick will not be shipped to you. It will be sent directly to Alderton General and incorporated into the paving or walkways around the store.
Personalizations must be appropriate for a family-friendly public space. We reserve the right to reject or request changes to submissions containing profanity, offensive language, or otherwise inappropriate content.
Someday, when you visit Alderton General, you can walk the grounds, find your brick, and know that you helped bring this place back to life. That's pretty special.
Please note:
FINAL BRICK MAY DIFFER IN APPEARANCE FROM THE PROVIDED IMAGE.
All sales are final. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
A little piece of Alderton General to carry with you. Our Founder Flight Tag is crafted from durable nylon/polyester webbing in our signature deep green, with woven jacquard lettering reading FOUNDER on one side and ALDERTON GENERAL on the other. Finished with glossy black metal hardware, a swivel clasp, and key ring, it’s made to clip onto your keys, tote, backpack, or wherever you’d like to show your support. Approximately 6.5–7 inches long and 1.75 inches wide.
Please note:
This item is made to order and will ship approximately 90 days after purchase.
All sales are final. We are unable to accept returns or exchanges unless your item arrives damaged. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
A classic five-panel trucker hat in natural cotton twill and heritage forest green, featuring breathable mesh back panels and an adjustable snap closure. Finished with dimensional Alderton General embroidery across the front and thoughtful custom detailing, it’s a timeless, easy-wearing staple made for everyday adventures.
Please note:
This item is made to order and will ship approximately 90 days after purchase.
All sales are final. We are unable to accept returns or exchanges unless your item arrives damaged. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
How does your purchase help?
Every purchase directly supports the restoration and opening of Alderton General. You're purchasing quality merchandise while helping us bring this historic landmark back to life.
PLEASE NOTE:
ALL SALES ARE FINAL. By completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
ITEMS MAY TAKE APPROXIMATELY 90 DAYS TO SHIP.
LEGACY BRICK ORDERS: Final brick may differ in appearance from provided image.
YOUR PURCHASE DOES NOT REPRESENT AN INVESTMENT OR OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN ALDERTON GENERAL STORE. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
Alderton General is a labor of love and a dream we believe is worth bringing back to life. We’re restoring a historic gathering place and building something we hope will belong to this community for generations—a place to grab a warm meal, pick up something special from the pantry, linger over coffee, and simply feel welcome.
Restoring a 100-plus-year-old building is a tremendous undertaking, and every contribution, no matter the size, moves us one step closer to opening those doors. If you believe in preserving old places, gathering around good food, and creating something meaningful for the next generation, we would be deeply grateful to have you be a part of this story. Help us bring Alderton General back to life.
be a part of our story.
Make a one-time donation today. *
An old store.
A new beginning.
a labor of love.
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Alderton General began with a simple idea: that an old place, loved for generations, could be given a new life.
For Danielle Kartes, founder of Rustic Joyful Food, food has always been about more than what’s on the table. It’s about gathering. Nourishing people. Making ordinary days feel special. Creating the kinds of places and moments we remember.
When the opportunity arose to restore the historic Alderton General Store, Danielle saw the possibility of bringing all of those things together under one roof.
The dream is to carefully restore this beloved old building and create a general store for a new generation—one that honors the history of the valley while becoming something vibrant, useful, and deeply loved by the community today.
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Imagine walking through the doors in the morning and smelling fresh sourdough coming from the oven. Wholesome pastries in the bakery case. Good coffee being poured. Sunlight streaming through big windows filled with whatever the season has brought us—peaches and flowers in summer, pumpkins and apples in fall, wreaths and greenery at Christmastime.
The shelves will hold beautiful things, but also useful things: pantry staples, heritage grains, wonderful olive oils, spices, tinned fish, local goods, kitchen tools, and bottles of wine from small producers throughout Washington and beyond.
And at the heart of it all will be the food.
Simple, beautiful, scratch-made food prepared with care and without unnecessary ingredients. Fresh bread. Sandwiches made on that bread. Seasonal salads sold by the pound. Pots of soup. Pasta. Pastries. And whole rotisserie chickens with potatoes that you can pick up on the way home and put on the dinner table.
We want Alderton General to be somewhere you might drive across town to visit—and somewhere the people who live nearby stop three times a week.
A destination, yes. But more importantly, a habit.
A place where the people behind the counter know your name. Where you can grab dinner when the day has gotten away from you, find something wonderful for a friend, pick up a loaf of bread, or simply linger for a little while.
Beautiful, but never precious. Special, but never exclusive.
A home away from home.
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Restoring a building like this is an enormous undertaking, and we want to build Alderton General thoughtfully—preserving its history, its craftsmanship, and its place in the community while giving it everything it needs to serve another hundred years.
That is why the products sold on our site exist.
Every Alderton General tote, hat, and piece of merchandise purchased here is helping provide the seed money to bring this old store back to life. You aren’t simply buying something with our name on it. You’re helping us begin the work.
This is a grassroots effort to take something old and worth saving and make it useful and beautiful again.
Your purchase does not represent an investment or ownership interest in Alderton General Store. It is simply a purchase—but one that directly supports our fundraising efforts and helps move this dream closer to reality.
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I have spent much of my life thinking about food—cooking it, writing about it, sharing it, and gathering people around it.
But I think this store may be the biggest love letter I ever write.
I want Alderton General to feel like it has always been here, even as we create something entirely new inside its walls. I want it to be beautiful enough to make you stop for a moment when you walk through the doors, but comfortable enough that you never think twice about coming in.
I want to feed people well. I want to celebrate the farmers, makers, and incredible food of this valley and our region. I want families to come through these doors for years—and someday realize their children grew up coming here.
There is a long road between the old store standing here today and the Alderton General we can already see so clearly in our minds.
But this is where we begin.
One bag. One hat. One loaf of bread. One person believing in this old place at a time.
Thank you for helping us bring Alderton General back to life.
— Danielle
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