Swain’s General Store

We always stop at Swain’s when in Port Angeles. We love the large selection of fishing/​hunting gear and they have almost everything else you could want. And their prices are very competitive. If you need anything having to do with hardware, this is the place to go.

Great store! We’ve bought several pairs of hiking shoes, as well as home & garden stuff. Fantastic range of products. And extremely helpful people!

Always a great store to go into and look around. They truly have a little of everything. The prices can be a little more than other places in town (wallyworld) for the same item. But, it’s always nice to support local small business. Overall it’s a great place to do all your odd and end shopping. I always get the popcorn on the way out for the little one. Yum!

This place is phenomenal. They have everything you could possibly want for your outdoor adventure and possibly your life. I don’t think they sell computers, but that’s about it. Tons of gear for hiking, camping, fishing, home repair, etc. I would say they have a wider range of recreational stuff than your typical big-​box outdoor store, plus all your typical general store goods, all at great prices.
If you’re on a road trip or something, this is your one-​stop shop. It’s almost a destination in and of itself.

I love Swain’s! It’s a one-​stop shop and it is perfect for those who cannot make the drive out to the city. Prices are very competitive too. I can’t think of anything (besides groceries) that this place doesn’t have. It’s a small town’s hero.

A great general store,. Their slogan was «Swain’s has everything!» And, its darn close! They’ve been around a long time and maintain a healthy following from the local community and visitors, alike. During the busy summer months it’s one of the busiest places in town.
As you enter, the familiar smell of fresh popcorn greets you. Their selection of items ranges from everything outdoors to a good selection of hardware and building materials, Toys for the kids, sporting goods, ammo, gifts, hunting/​fishing licensure, clothing, kitchen, home, garden, etc etc etc… I find new things every time! Its a shame they dropped the slogan, because even though it’s not technically true, it was close!
«But, Walmart actually DOES have everything, «you say? You may have a good point, but if you give me the choice between more Walmart’s and more Swain’s’ I’d definitely opt for more Swain’s’. I think it’s important to talk about where we choose to shop, because a -=purchase=- is a -=vote=- for who will survives the Thunder Dome.
I think the atmosphere of Swain’s, great variety, community involvement, economically contributions, and convenience make it at easy choice.
And looking to the future: if a zombie apocalypse occurs, then Walmart will be ground zero. Swain’s will be the armory.
But wait, there’s more! Yes, Swain’s is expanding. I am eager to check out the new zone!

A local landmark. They really do have almost everything. Shoe department is great. The selection of hunting, camping, and fishing stuff is awesome. You can get your fishing and hunting licences here. Great selection of women’s and men’s clothes. I grew up shopping here. In the old days the customer service was amazing. It’s simply not as good now but it is the owners and their policies that have lowered it, not the workers, they are as helpful and nice as they always have been. The brown bag sale is great and worth waiting for if you want to buy an expensive item. Check out this store if you are in the area.

I think that there are two ways to approach this place.
First, if you need something in town, save yourself the run around and just cut right to the chase: go to Swains. As residents of Port Angeles, this has been our experience and a lesson learned. Once inside, you can try to find it yourself, or simply ask one of the helpful staff members and they’ll take you (like a heat-​seeking missile) right to it. And rare is the time they WON’T have it.
Second, go, grab some popcorn, and just wander a bit. This is one of those funky stores with character (and characters). You’d be amazed what you can find in those aisles!
One negative is the parking lot — be careful, and drive slowly. It’s laid out weird and sight lines are poor.

HUGE general store with all kinds of stuff. Definite lean toward men’s clothes and outdoor hobbies like hunting and fishing. You can find a wide variety of camping stuff, too. Be sure to add a handful of their creamy caramel candies to your purchase when you’re ready to check out. To. Die. For.

Love this store. They have everything. Outdoor gear. Indoor gear. Whatever. They do have a larger selection for men’s clothing and shoes. Women’s section is upstairs and they don’t have as many jacket and outerwear as men’s.? But it is nice to peruse the aisles and try to find things you don’t need, but maybe need…
This was my first time here as I don’t come out this far too often, but if I do, I’ll definitely be back.

Wow, what a great place – like your old fashioned mom & pop hardware store, fish & tackle place and RV parts store all rolled into one – PLUS clothing, housewares, and a bunch of other stuff. Very helpful staff asked if they could help us find anything. For RV’ers travelling long distances, this was a real treasure. Oh by the way, boating stuff too!

Oh geez! Where do I start? This is one of many places in Port Angeles that I have been coming to since I was a kid. It looks the same, smells the same, and may also have some of the same merchandise from back in the 70’s! If you’re anti-​hunting, or anti-​gun, this place may not be for you. If you want to get a glimpse of what Port Angeles is all about, then take a stroll through Swain’s! They have many stuffed animal heads on the wall, and a great selection of bullets!
It’s especially cool during the holidays! The check stands still have those old fashioned lighted numbers. These are wrapped in tinsel garland, and you can hear oldies Christmas songs over the store’s speaker system.
Even when it’s not the holiday season, there is so much to see! Need some fancy, multi-​colored Nikes? Need a can of bear mace that will drop a grizzly from 50 feet? What about panning for gold? They have everything you need for that! Got a job on an Alaskan fishing boat and need some Grundens? They’ve got you covered! You can also get a hunting, and/​or fishing license. The employees are a great source of info for what, when, and where you are able/​not able to hunt or fish at any given time of the year.
During the spring, they have a great selection of plants, flowers, fruits, and veggies for your garden. I haven’t been disappointed in anything I have planted in my yard from Swain’s. They also have a great selection of yard décor that you won’t find anywhere else.
My favorite part of the store is the shoe section. They have a great variety for men, women, and children. They sell mainly high end shoes, and you may pay a little more, (I would rather give my money to a local store than a mall anyway). During the back to school months, they have pretty good shoe sales.
If nothing else, go for their freshly popped popcorn! A PA trip is not complete without Swain’s popcorn, and a Brown and Haley peanut butter candy bar!

See some Flickr photos for more context and info about Swain’s General Store:

Terrific store. No noticeable discounts, but has everything. Go there, browse around, enjoy. Forget the grumpy old gray haired harridan that guards the door. Don’t miss this place the next time you’re in Port Angeles.

Swain’s is awesome! It may not have everything, but it darn sure has alot! When my cousin’s from Montana come to visit, they want to stop by Swain’s!

This place is like your grandparents hardware store. They have got absolutely everything you need (even things you didn’t know you needed). We’ve visited P.A. at least once or twice a year for the past 15 years and this is one of the first places we go. It’s a kick! They carry surprisingly well known brands at really low prices. The P.A. store is the original (best).

Remember those True Value Hardware stores? That’s exactly what Swains is. This two story local hardware bliss has been around for some time and boy is it busy! You can find pretty much anything you need here. It obviously does not have the selection of the other national chain stores but Swains is a welcomed sight for someone that only frequents Home Depot and Lowes.