The next time you’re looking for a fun place to eat with a lot of southern Utah nostalgia, check out Judds General Store.
Located in the heart of downtown St. George, Judd’s General Store has been part of the St. George landscape since it opened in 1911.
Judds General Store | history
According to the Washington County Historical Society, Judds General Store is the oldest ongoing business in St. George. And, until it was taken over by Green Gate Village, it was the oldest family-owned business in St. George. 
The store was opened by Thomas Judd. He purchased the property from Joseph Bentley in 1908, according to the Washington County Historical Society web site.
The store originally carried general merchandise needed by the sheep and cattlemen in the area. However, most people today remember it because of its proximity to the Woodward School.
Woodward student tradition
If you were a student at Woodward School then you most likely have memories of Judds General Store.
Woodward School was once the only sixth grade school for the entire St. George area. A unique experience for the students, it brought everyone from multiple elementary schools together for one year, before dividing them back out into separate junior high and high schools. And Judds General Store was located right across the street.
Since Judds General Store was well-known for its variety of candies and delicious breadsticks, it was an immensely popular place for the Woodward 6th graders. For only a small amount of money you could indulge in a breadstick and cheese sauce for dipping, old-fashioned penny candies, licorice ropes, black cow candy and more.
Because of the popularity of Judds General Store among the sixth grade students, there was a schedule created. Girls could go to Judds General Store one day, boys the next. The alternating schedule was important for keeping overcrowding inside the relatively small dining and shopping space to a minimum.
Many students recall the race it was to get out of class and over to Judds General Store before the throngs of students followed. One student recalls leaping down the stairs four or five at a time to get ahead.
It’s a wonder there weren’t any major accidents as the students raced off campus and across the street.
Judds General Store today
The store narrowly avoided condemnation and demolition in the early 1980s. Fortunatley, Mark and Barbara Greene purchased the building to serve as the focal point of their Green Gate Village.
You can still pop in for a breadstick and cheese sauce, old-fashioned candy, soup and ice cream. The old-fashioned feel is apparent even as you approach the structure. There is an old gas pump out front and the store front has its original look.
Inside there is not a lot of space to dine, but a few small tables make that possible. Shelves filled with a variety of pioneer and other memorabilia lends the place a definite charm. And now that there is outdoor seating available next door as part of Green Gate Village, dining at Judds General Store is a great option.
There are all kinds of old-fashioned soda bottles tempting you as you enter. And the colorful candy is carefully displayed in basket bins. All of this adds to the charm of Judds General Store.
Public response
People’s reactions to Judds General Store seem to be nearly all positive. Some of that is of course due to the helpful employees and quality food. It is also likely to be attributed, at least in part, to the nostalgia wrapped up in this downtown landmark. People feel a sense of loyalty and ownership to a store that played a key role in their youthful memories. It’s always fun to go back to a place like this and remember things “the way they used to be.”
Judds General Store is located at 62 W. Tabernacle, St. George, Utah. They are open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. For more information you can call 435-628-2596.
If you have an interest in living in a town that values its heritage the way St. George does, check out these home listings here.