Copyright M Live Michigan
CADILLAC, MI -- Meauwataka General Store is a blink-and-you-miss-it type spot when you’re cruising Up North. On a map, it looks like you fell into the midst of the Huron-Manistee National Forest. It’s got a humble storefront that hasn’t changed much in its 85 years. If you take the time to pull off at the red sign on top of the hill, you’ll find it’s a haven of local treasures. Namely, an unexpectedly expansive bourbon collection spanning hundreds of bottles. Owners Pam and Ken Sandy took over Cadillac’s local store in 2020 after it sat on the market for years. They both came from a long career in small businesses, from barber shops to powder coating and steel fabrication. Although wildly different from scooping ice cream, stocking snacks and selling souvenirs, those small business experiences taught them the value of sticking with the little guys instead of buying from corporate giants. The general store is just barely 1,000 square feet but every inch of shelf space is stocked with products from 100 local and small business vendors, Pam Sandy said. In the middle of the night Pam finds herself scrolling through mom-and-pop shops on Facebook who specialize in fidget spinners, T-shirts, stickers and candy. “We’re proud of our state and we want to support the awesome people in it,” she said. “Many of our vendors shop here. We support each other.” Pam knows the orders of the regulars, whether it’s a sub for Annie of Annie’s Baked Goods or a pizza for the Cupcake Mafia delivery driver. The general store started serving hot food in the pandemic for the truck drivers and passersby who were looking for a decent meal as they were coming and going between Cadillac and Traverse City. The success of their weekly meal deals led the Sandys to gutting the kitchen and turning it into a fulltime pizza and sub shop − a full circle moment for the couple who met at Ken’s family pizzeria as teenagers. Now they elevate roadside delicacies with homemade sauces and local meats from Ebels that Ken smokes on site. It’s all been in service of what the customer needs. The state highway M-115 is a slower, more scenic ride but there’s not much out there other than forest, trails and horse farms. Pam and Ken have made it their motto that the Meauwataka General Store is more than a pitstop − it’s worth the trip. Enter: the ever-expanding bourbon collection. Pam and Ken admit they’re not big bourbon drinkers themselves, but they are invested in having both quality and quantity so everyone can find what they’re looking for. And maybe try something new, too. When they first started stocking the alcohol section they had the standards like Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. Then a customer told them about Iron Fish, a distillery just 33 miles northwest of the general store. To represent the other side of the state, they started stocking Detroit City Distillery. Then they had to show love to Grand Traverse Distillery just north of them and Long Road Distillers just south in Grand Rapids. Suddenly Michigan’s bourbon trail was stretching across the general store’s original five shelving units. Ken built a live edge wooden shelf for specialty items. Whiskey and bourbon elbowed out the wine, beer and canned cocktails for the prime endcap spots on the aisles. Even then, the collection kept growing. Customers recommended bottles that honored 9/11 first responders, benefitted veterans or celebrated the University of Michigan’s football championship. Every bottle has a story and the Sandys delight in being storytellers. “The big draw was doing research,” Pam Sandy said. “We just hear all these really freaking amazing stories.” As Northern Michigan becomes a blur of Family Fares, Dollar Generals and Walmarts, sometimes it’s worth taking the side road and finding a tried-and-true general store.
