CUNARD, W.Va. — For generations, travelers heading toward the New River at Cunard slowed as they rounded the bend and caught sight of the Coal Run Company Store.
Long after the coal camps that built it disappeared, the broad, weathered building remained—a familiar landmark for fishermen, whitewater rafters, hikers, rock climbers, and generations of West Virginians traveling to one of the most scenic stretches of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Today, the Coal Run Company Store is entering a new chapter. Now offered as a New River Gorge property, the nearly century-old building represents one of the region’s most distinctive redevelopment opportunities as outdoor recreation and heritage tourism transform southern West Virginia.
The historic Coal Run Company Store helped build a community
Constructed in 1935, the Coal Run Company Store served the mining community that once flourished along the New River. Like hundreds of company stores across Appalachia, it supplied miners and their families with groceries, clothing, hardware, and everyday necessities, and it served as the community’s social center.
Nearly a century later, the building still reflects that history. Heavy timber framing, a native-stone foundation, soaring ceilings, expansive storefronts, and an attached two-bedroom apartment provide more than 3,250 square feet ready for restoration and reinvention.
“The building has already proven it can serve a community,” said Foxfire Realty listing agent David Sibray. “The question isn’t whether it has another chapter—it’s who will write it.”
Why this New River Gorge commercial property stands apart
Location has become one of the property’s greatest assets. Over the past decade, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve has emerged as one of America’s premier outdoor recreation destinations. Visitors travel from across the country to experience world-famous whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and scenic drives.
The road through Cunard serves as a principal gateway to the river, placing the Coal Run Company Store directly along one of the region’s busiest tourism corridors.
“There are very few places left where someone can buy a landmark instead of just a building,” Sibray said. “Thousands of people already recognize this place. The next owner has the opportunity to give them a reason to stop instead of simply driving past.”
Unlike many historic buildings, the property also includes more than an acre of relatively level ground suitable for parking, outdoor gathering areas, or future expansion—features increasingly difficult to find so close to the national park.
Endless possibilities near the New River Gorge
The Coal Run Company Store offers the flexibility to become almost anything its next owner imagines.
Its location near Fayetteville naturally lends itself to a café, brewery, restaurant, outfitter, art gallery, specialty retail shop, or event venue serving visitors to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Others may envision transforming the building into one of southern West Virginia’s most distinctive private residences while preserving its historic character.
Foxfire Realty co-listing agent Randy Burdette believes the property’s greatest value extends beyond its architecture.
“The location is what keeps drawing us back,” Burdette said. “You have visibility, history, usable land, and immediate access to one of America’s fastest-growing outdoor recreation destinations. Opportunities like that simply don’t come along very often.”
Restoring the Coal Run Company Store
Restoration will require vision—and investment. The building needs significant rehabilitation, including a new roof and modernization of its systems. Yet opportunities like the Coal Run Company Store have become increasingly rare throughout Appalachia as historic commercial buildings disappear through neglect or demolition.
According to the listing agents, the building may qualify for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, potentially making historic preservation incentives available to help offset rehabilitation costs.
For entrepreneurs, preservationists, or investors seeking a distinctive New River Gorge commercial property, few buildings offer the same combination of history, visibility, and redevelopment potential.
A landmark ready for its next chapter
Across Appalachia, former company stores, railroad depots, warehouses, and industrial buildings are finding new life as restaurants, breweries, boutique lodging, museums, and gathering places that celebrate their communities while supporting local economies. The Coal Run Company Store seems uniquely positioned to join that movement.
For decades, it welcomed people whose livelihoods depended on the New River. Today, the river once again defines the community—not through coal production, but through paddles, bicycles, climbing ropes, hiking boots, and the millions of visitors discovering the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve each year.
Whoever becomes the next owner won’t simply purchase a historic building. They’ll become the steward of one of the New River Gorge’s best-known landmarks—and help shape what generations of visitors discover there for decades to come.
Learn more: View the complete Coal Run Company Store listing, including photographs, floor plans, property details, and contact information.