Pines Country Store
Need advice on how to answer nature’s call? Pines has got you covered.
The modest building with the log cabin facade and the vintage Gore Mountain ski gondola out front is an iconic destination in one of the Adirondack Park’s most popular getaways.
Over the past three decades, Pines Country Store has grown. And grown. And grown, the modest building on East Main Street now bursting at the seams with all manner of stuff.
There’s rooms packed with athletic and camping gear to outfit visitors and seasonal residents.
There’s Adirondack kitsch, a whirlwind of pine cone and balsam-scented items; sweatshirts and gear branded with Indian Lake iconography.
And of course, there is hardware materials, the literal nuts and bolts of the business.
“True Value with a little bit of everything is our motto,” said Tim Pine, the owner.
Like many others who have migrated to the North Country, the story of the Pines started with a single step.
Originally from southern New Jersey, Tom’s father retired early in 1984 at the age of 50.
For the next phase of his life, he was looking for three things, Tim recalled:
He wanted to own a small business with a house on a lake with a ski area nearby.
Indian Lake, located in northeastern Hamilton County, had all three.
Their parents relocated. And one by one, after graduating from college, so did their children.
In those early days, the shop was primarily a hardware store. It quickly developed a reputation for carrying everything a contractor or homeowner could ever want, Tim recalled.
“Go to Pines, they’ll have it,” became a mantra around town.
And if they didn’t have it, then, well they could order it.
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Pines Country Store carries just about everything, from tourist souvenirs to high-tech hiking gear.
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Keeping it in the family: Pine said he is thankful for his father’s decision to relocate from New Jersey, a decision that gave him the opportunity to raise his own family here.
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Summer is go-time for the iconic Adirondack destination. “It’s just crazy,” said owner Tim Pine.
As the times changed, inventory began increasing. While Pines Country Store once only carried one brand of high-tech hiking boots — one pair each for men, women and children — they now have a half-dozen.
The second floor of the century-old building, once a youth hostel, is broken up into small rooms, which the Pines quickly repurposed for chambers dedicated to each item.
There’s one for footwear; another for knick-knacks, touristy t-shirts, candles and gift items. There’s rooms for boaters and beach supplies, sporting goods, camping supplies and bedding. A kid’s room is packed with toys, while another is dedicated exclusively to Christmas trees.
And that’s not to mention the fleet of lawn gear, yard equipment and kayaks spilling out onto the porch, backyard, garage and tent.
“The more we carry, the more we sell,” Pine said. “Right now, we’re busting at the seams. If we got any bigger, we’d have to build a new building.”
Pines has three full-time employees and seven part-time college students who work during the summer, when like any other Adirondack business, they go into warp-speed.
The pick-up may be even more pronounced in this remote community of 1,300 year-round residents where 70 percent of the homes in the community are owned by second homeowners.
Despite the growth, hardware remains their base, Pine said, and the touristy stuff is incidental.
“We’re a hardware store,” Pine said. “Everyone’s gotta fix up their home.”
And, always humble, he still considers the destination to be a small local store.
It’s been 23 years since he joined his parents in the idyllic community.
Has there been change over the years?
The days of the old-fashioned Adirondack hotels, where families would stay for a week, are over, he said.
“There’s a couple around, but not like it used to be,” Pine said.
And then there’s the advent of smartphones and the culture of constant connectivity.
People used to come to get away from everything, he mused, and stay at these big camps.
Folks would eat, swim, fish… and just enjoy the summertime.
Pines Country Store
Now the fabric has shifted to one of second homeowners, all of whom want to stay connected. Radios have given way to iPod cords and phone chargers.
It’s inevitable that the Adirondack Park would catch up, Pine said.
Pine says he looks forward to customers returning each year. With the passage of time, the new generation of visitors now include the children and grandchildren of those his pops served all those years ago.
The businessman reflected on his dad’s decision, one that gave him the opportunity to live and raise his own children here.
“I’m proud to be here.”
Pines Country Store: 1 East Main Street, Indian Lake, NY. Open daily. Find them on Facebook or call 518-648-521
