Three generations strong at historic Long Lake general store

Hoss’s in Long Lake is long-standing institution, owned by the Hosley family since 1972

By Holly Riddle

In Long Lake, Hoss’s Country Corner, established more than a century ago, in 1914, has long been a part of the landscape. In 1972, John “Hoss” Hosley and his wife, Lorrie, bought the store from the Freeman family and gave it its current name. The business has been in the Hosley family ever since, with siblings Nathan Hosley and Jules Hosley-Pierce, along with various other family members across three generations, currently at the helm. 

Originally from the area, John’s father was the town doctor and his mother was the town nurse. Over the last 50-plus years, the store has evolved and the Hosley family’s business ventures have grown across Long Lake. In 2017, they purchased the Long View Lodge and opened The Park in Long Lake. They also have an adjacent RV park and four leased retail businesses.

A real general store

As to what they can credit for the longevity of Hoss’s Country Corner specifically, Jules simply said with a laugh, “We’re awesome.” 

“It’s pretty unique. It’s a real general store,” Nathan added, “with everything from groceries to clothing. Back in the day, we used to do firearms, fishing tackle. When you came out to your camp, you could get everything you needed in one stop, and my mom grew it from there and we continue to keep growing it.” 

Like many second-generation members of family businesses, the two grew up working in the general store, noting that it just seemed normal to work “a hundred hours a week.” 

“I learned to run a register standing on a milk crate,” said Nathan.

RELATED READING: Adirondack general stores: The heartbeat of community, commerce

While the siblings all worked in the store through their teen years and college, they ended up going separate ways for a brief period (though still remaining connected to the store via helping out with administrative tasks remotely). 

“My brothers ended up in California for 15 years. I was out in Colorado for 20. Then, I came home and helped my mom for the last 22 years and Nathan and his family moved home about 12 years ago,” said Jules.

Nathan noted that his return to the region wasn’t primarily prompted by the business. Instead, he said, “I just wanted my kids to be raised here in the Adirondacks. That was a big factor in me moving back, but if you’re going to move back, you might as well be running the business we had built… There was never any pressure from Mom and Dad to come back to do this.” 

The Hosleys walk a fine line of honoring the store’s extensive legacy, while also evolving to meet their clientele’s changing needs. The store no longer sells firearms. The store previously sold a greater quantity of groceries, but now travelers often come to the area already stocked up for home rental stays. Meanwhile, though, souvenirs, from homemade pack baskets to items brandished with the Long Lake logo, still attract a large number of customers. 

It’s this tourist economy that primarily supports Hoss’s, Nathan said, and as Hoss’s evolves to meet tourists’ needs, the general store likewise helps meet the needs of the broader town. 

He said, “You look at some of the smaller towns around us, where the businesses like Hoss’s that are generational don’t make it, and the towns start to fade away,” he said. “It’s helpful for everyone to have many businesses and we’re just one of many in Long Lake. We just happen to have been here longer than most.” 

At top: Hoss’s, an Adirondack general store in Long Lake. Photo by Nancie Battaglia