Voted Number One

Robinson's Store, in Dorset, has repeatedly been voted the best Country store in Canada.

Cheers to that!  If this store doesn't have it, chances are really good that you don't need it.   Housed in one of the oldest buildings in historic Dorset, it's worth prowling through the store just to look at the building itself.

 Don't forget to look up, to the pressed metal ceiling tiles!  That's something you don't see much anymore, but how beautiful, and how long lasting they are!

Early accounts of the village indicate that Zachariah Cole in 1862 built a hotel and store on this site. It burned in 1886, as old wooden buildings with wood stoves were wont to do.  He rebuilt it as the Fairview hotel.  That also burned, in 1907.  Given the use of candles, oil lamps, slightly enebriated loggers with cigarettes and limited fire fighting capacities, it's a wonder everything didn't go up in smoke back then.   The next frame building to try its luck here was the Red Onion -- parts of this hotel still remain, upstairs in Robinson's General Store, and house a great selection of clothing and gifts.  Once upon a time there were also the five cent slot machines -- until the Province banned such iniquities.

In 1921 the McKey's built a general store next to the Red Onion.  After Fred's passing, his wife married Harry Robinson's, in the early 1930's and the store became known as Robinson's.  It's still owned and operated by this family.  You can usually find Brad in there -- and if you want to know anything about Dorset, he's your man.

Along with Brad, you can find pretty much anything else to make your time on Lake of Bays outstanding.  Bruno the Bear will be happy to give you a hug...



There are lots of local producers' products available, including Yummies in a Jar, Maple Syrup products and Big Ass Garlic -- all Lake of Bays produced.

From the produce on offer through the Foodland Section, through the gifts and clothing section of the store and on to the Hardware and Garden department, this really, truly, is a General Store.  It should be on your Must Visit list when you are up here, in North Muskoka.

Tell Brad I sent you...

If you want to learn more about the history of Dorset, get your fingers on the Dorset Heritage Walking Tour booklet put out by the Township of Lake of Bays Heritage Advisory Committee. There's more fun facts in there than you'd think, and a lot of very unexpected history as well.