Community News

Sweet Shoppe opens in Saluda's historic depot (2)

Bruce Hunt, Judy Ward and Carolyn Ashburn pose in the Saluda Sweet Shoppe.

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 2, 2021

SALUDA — The Saluda Sweet Shoppe is now open in Saluda's historic depot, serving Hershey's ice cream, candy and other treats.

“When Duck Alley closed last fall, we saw this as an opportunity to take over the Hershey’s Ice Cream contract and provide the non-profit Depot a means to produce a revenue stream," Bruce Hunt, treasurer of the Saluda Historic Depot, said in a news release. "This income will help to compensate from lost funds from grants, gift store sales, and donations from visitors to the Depot due to Covid-19."

In addition to Hershey’s Ice Cream, the Shoppe offers old-fashioned candy, taffy, chocolates and cotton candy.


After a soft opening the last week in March, the staff has been trained and ready to serve. Current hours are 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Hours will be extended to Monday and Tuesday once another employee is hired to cover those days. The Shoppe is in the last section of the Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W. Main St. This section was the baggage area when the Depot was in operation.

The Saluda train Depot sits on historic Main Street at the crest of the steepest mainline standard gauge railroad in the United States and is a contributing structure on the National Register of Historic Places in the listing for the Saluda Main Street Historic District.

A group of citizens formed a non-profit organization and purchased the building in June 2016, and has created a railroad and heritage museum to celebrate and memorialize the town’s railroad history and its beginnings. If you would like to climb aboard and help preserve the historic Saluda Depot for future generations, send donations to Saluda Historic Depot, PO Box 990, Saluda, NC 28773 or email savesaludadepot@gmail.com. All donations and sponsorships are tax deductible.