April 14, 2026

Warnes’ General Store – Glen Arbor Mich.

Black-And-White Photo Of A Two-Story Wooden General Store With “General Merchandise” Painted On The Side, A Tall Gas Pump Out Front, And Several Early Cars With People Standing Near The Porch.

This vintage photo shows Warnes’ General Store — “General Merchandise” painted on the side — with an old-style gas pump out front and early automobiles pulled up to the porch.

The caption says Glen Arbor, but the Warnes family name is strongly tied to Glen Haven, the historic lakeshore village a few miles west of Glen Arbor in what’s now Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In its heyday, the general store was the community’s hub — selling everything from groceries and work supplies to postcards — and it also served roles like a post office, telegraph station and ticket office. At the pump, gas was measured in a glass cylinder before it flowed into the tank.

Do you remember stopping at the store in Glen Haven — or hearing stories about it?

#GlenArbor #GlenHaven #SleepingBearDunes #LeelanauCounty #MichiganHistory

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Michaela Nolte

Michaela is a history buff and loves to export historical markers and old buildings and seeks stories about Michigan and Great Lakes history. When she is not writing, you can find her with a good book sipping wine on the beach.

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