I first meet Kyle Goldsmith at his canoe and kayak livery as he prepares to shuttle me and a friend in one of his canoes to float the Staunton River. Later, I’d dine at his deli, examine his hunting and fishing goods in his sporting shop, admire the antiques in that wing of the store, and marvel at the collection of bluegrass artists who’ve performed on his stage.
The most amazing aspect of these enterprises is that they’re all part of Carter’s General Store and Deli on Bedford Highway in Lynch Station, Virginia. The store’s combination of nostalgia and modern tastes is a testament to what superb entrepreneurs Kyle and Cheri Goldsmith are. Perhaps the best examples of this are two of their deli’s signature dishes: the traditional fried bologna and hoop cheese sandwich created by Kyle’s uncle Calvin “C.P.” Carter; and, as a nod to modern tastes, the locally sourced and trendy wagyu beef offerings added by Kyle and Cheri.
Kyle’s great-grandfather Lewis Crawford Carter opened the store in 1879. Lewis was followed by Kyle’s grandfather C.L. Carter and, later, Kyle’s uncle C.P., who ran the establishment until his death in 2008. The store was sold out of the family in 2011. Kyle’s dream was to one day run the family store. “In 2019,” Kyle says, “my dad bought the store for Cheri and me to operate.” They came back to Campbell County in 2000 to take over.
Kyle says he’s indebted to each of his ancestors. “Lewis was known as ‘Big Daddy,’ and his wife was called ‘Big Mama,'” Kyle says. “Lewis was quite the entrepreneur. He went from being a laborer at a local gristmill to owning it and then opening the family store. Grandfather C.L. was a no-nonsense, conservative Southern Democrat who despised foul language and drinking. Once, a person came into our store and the man was smelling of alcohol, so C.L. kicked him out.”
Kyle continues, “Uncle C.P. was the only one of the three I ever knew, and I respected him for his quiet demeanor. C.P. was on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors and met with President Truman in the 1950s.”
Homey and Eclectic
Stop by Carter’s General Store and Deli, and you’ll probably quickly see why it’s such an integral part of the rural Campbell County community. On the day I arrive, a sign out front requests prayers for a local family undergoing duress. A vintage Coca-Cola sign, 19th-century plows, and a rustic wooden American flag adorn a second-floor porch. A flapping banner announces that breakfast is served all day, while a mid-20th-century, rusty brown bicycle stands at the ready, with the tires perhaps needing a little air. Nearby, a teal canoe indicates that this store is also a boat livery. Later, Kyle jokes about the time someone absconded with the craft, perhaps unaware of the gaping cavity – large enough for grass to grow through it – in its bow. “A neighbor calls the store and says, ‘Hey, someone left your display canoe in our front yard.’ I’m just glad that someone didn’t try to float that canoe down the Staunton.”
Inside, dry-erase boards display details about popular entrées: The Flat Bottom comprises sausage gravy on a biscuit with two eggs for $7.75, while the Overboard consists of two eggs, meat, hash browns, and toast or a biscuit for $7.95. The Outpost includes three pancakes, two eggs, and breakfast meat for $8.15. Belgian waffles are also listed, with options for regular, blueberry, and chocolate chip. Another board proclaims “Spring Specials.” Among the offerings is the Baby Carter’s, a tomato stuffed with chicken salad for $7.75, and the Patty Melt sandwich, which is made of a 1/3-pound burger on grilled sourdough with hoop cheese, Swiss cheese, and a special sauce for $7.95.
This is a place that a working person or farmer could feel comfortable visiting for a quick meal or something to go. The first customer I see is paying his bill and wearing a hard hat and a blaze-yellow jacket – a highway worker, perhaps? Cheri is ringing him up and smiles as he compliments her on his meal and the service.
Friendly Faces
Next, I wander over to Vince Martin and Terry Young, who are sitting at one of the deli’s tables. I ask if I can sit down and chat, and they cordially agree. A stranger like me is welcome here. Vince and Terry immediately begin talking to me as if I’m an old friend.
Terry explains that, though he dwells in Santee, South Carolina, he used to live in Campbell County, and now he returns to the area – and the store – every chance he gets. Vince is similarly fond of the area and the country store.
“My wife and I quickly became friends with Kyle and Cheri when they moved back here in 2000,” he says. “When the store reopened in 2019, we were some of their first customers. This is the kind of place where you go and you know you’ll see friends and neighbors. And the food is great to eat too. Like to fish?”
I nod and say that I just finished floating the Staunton and caught a nice smallmouth bass. Vince grins and shows me cellphone pictures of Staunton River stripers, bass, and pickerel. Sheepishly, he admits that he may have eaten the state-record saugeye and shows a picture of that lunker fish too. Then, their orders arrive.
“I’m having what I usually have for lunch: pancakes with organic maple syrup, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon,” Vince says. “I’ve got a little bit of a sweet tooth … never had a bad meal here. These are five-star pancakes, fluffy and light.” Terry nods in agreement, as he’s ordered the same entrée.
Kyle soon moseys by and joins Terry, Vince, and me. Seeing Kyle conversing with us, Cheri offers to bring him pancakes, and he nods in the affirmative.
Cheri then asks what I’ll be having, and I explain that I ate lunch while on the river. But her enthusiasm about the newly added blueberry Belgian waffles convinces me that this is a two-lunch day. The waffles are as delicious as advertised, and, after eating half the plate-sized offering, I ask for a to-go box. I want my wife, Elaine, to have the pleasure of savoring this entrée later.
The Sounds of Community
The conversation turns to bluegrass, and Vince informs me that he’s a member of Gospel Union, which regularly performs at Carter’s.
“A couple of years ago, Cheri and I started ‘Second Saturday Bluegrass’ jam sessions,” Kyle adds. “Only two people came to play. Now, 12 to 15 individuals and groups usually come, and lots of local people come here for free to hear them.”
The success of Second Saturday Bluegrass led to regular “Bluegrass Pickin’ and Pancakes Brunch” affairs from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., “inside or out, depending on the weather,” adds Kyle. “Which, in turn, led to ‘First Saturdays Gospel’ and ‘Third Saturdays Hot Rods,'” the latter of which covers classic and antique cars. Other regular events are concerts on the fourth Saturday of each month, Friday Night Fish Fry, and an annual jeep rally in November. And for just about any occasion, customers can add the general store’s famous hoop cheese to almost any entrée.
“We’ve sold 405 hoops of cheese since we reopened,” Kyle confirms. “That’s 4.25 tons of cheese.”
More Than a Deli
After lunch, Kyle is eager for me to learn about the rest of the store. Our first stop is at the antiques nook.
“We’re really proud of these old lanterns,” he says as he examines one that’s likely well over a hundred years old. “Everything in this section is for sale. Well, maybe except for a thing or two.”
One of those items is the authentic World War II uniform of C.P. Carter. We both marvel at how long the sleeves are compared with the rest of the shirt. The antiques tour concludes with stops at a Royal typewriter, a radio speaker, and amazingly well-preserved leather shoes – all of these items were likely in use in the 1920s and 1930s.
Then, it’s on to the bluegrass section, where a number of CDs are for sale. “We really try to stock music of all the local artists and groups who perform here,” Kyle says. “It’s important to keep this traditional music alive.”
We pass through the grocery and book sections, and Kyle holds up a mug, also for sale, that states, “Eating at Carter’s is like eating at a friend’s house.” Our last stop is at the sporting-goods section. The owner proudly shows me the mount of a large buck that he’s killed. Also on display are trophy bucks tagged by local folks.
Building a Legacy
When I was first thinking about visiting Carter’s General Store and Deli, I contacted Molly Eden, Campbell County’s economic development specialist, who described the establishment as a hub of the community and “probably the only retail business in 8 to 10 miles in any direction.” Kyle and Cheri have proved that folks can indeed go home again and even create a business and a lifestyle in harmony with their community.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram are the authors of Living the Locavore Lifestyle, a book about hunting, fishing, and gathering food (with recipes). Contact them at BruceIngramOutdoors@gmail.com. For more information on Carter’s General Store and Deli, visit Facebook.
Originally published in the November/December 2025 issue of Grit magazine and regularly vetted for accuracy.
