Red Barn Country Store expands hours

When Dawn and Keith Lankford decided to reinvigorate the old-fashioned country spirit in Georgetown, they picked an appropriate venue to do so. The site of their Red Barn Country Store is not only a 120-year-old landmark in the town, but not too long ago it was filled with horses and chickens.

The family purchased the big red barn six years ago and has successfully converted it into a store that matches old-country charm with an eclectic and a large inventory of household items.

Previously open during select days only, the country store now welcomes guests seven days a week.

Whether customers are looking for handmade crafts, unique kitchenware or are just aching for a country-style experience, Red Barn has it all. It can take more than a half an hour just to see everything offered inside the store, said owner Dawn Lankford, and with a newly stocked holiday section upstairs as well as play areas for children inside and outside, Red Barn is full of surprises.

“A lot of customers come here for specific items they buy every year, and others come just to look around at everything we have,” said Lankford, “but whether they are a faithful customer or someone new, no one leaves without experiencing something special.”

Lankford said some of the most loyal patrons of Red Barn have been young children drawn in by the sight of farm animals at the location. Just outside the store, a pony named Salty, a donkey named Matilda, pot-belly pigs, birds and goats all serve as a team full of mascots that are comfortable in their barnyard home. Even a blue hen chicken can be spotted behind the store.

“We want our customers to have fun when they are here, so we have the animals, and for the last three years we have had hayrides, bonfires and corn mazes,” said Lankford. “People can see that even though we completely renovated, it still has the character of an old barn.”

No longer filled with hay but instead filled with fresh country items, the store continues to appeal to those searching for hard-to-find products. Red Barn contains thousands of items spanning from Lancaster-made jams, mustards and sauces to wooden figurines carved from willow and rural-style curtains and linens.

Employee Nancy Workman sells homemade breads on location to complement many food products found throughout the store.

With other shelves packed with scented bean-pod soy candles, dozens of custom-designed wallpapers, home décor items and kitchen and bath necessities, Red Barn provides for needs in all parts of the home. One month the store can feature a specific line of products, and a few months later a whole new line can replace it, so a trip to the Red Barn is a totally different experience with every new visit, said Lankford.

Most important, said Lankford, Red Barn is where the customer always comes first. Just like the old days, a shopper can be expected to be greeted with a smile and treated just like family.

Red Barn Country Store, located at 16570 Seashore Highway in Georgetown, is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday; and from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Sunday.

Visit the Red Barn: redbarncountrystore.com or call 302-855-9768