creating a cozy and creative shopping experience alongside the café. PHOTOS BY EDMEE CR HASLER
Opened in 2024, Sycamore Station in Salem is infusing the community with a fresh blend of history, creativity, and connection—while honoring a family legacy that spans more than 160 years.
Sycamore Station, a locally focused retail and food space founded by mother-daughter duo Nancy Hinchee Pace and Maggi Pace, opened its doors just off Dutch Oven Road. But the roots of their story run deep—six generations deep, to be exact.
“It’s nice to continue the tradition of goods and community in the area where we’ve had family since the 1860s,” said Nancy. Their store features primarily local products, along with a selection of fair-trade and ethically sourced goods. “We’ve worked hard to create a space where people can pause and be with each other in the moment, both inside and outside.”
The Hinchee family’s presence in the Hanging Rock area began around 1860 with William George Hinchee, a blacksmith who later became a gardener. Over the years, each generation adapted to the times—William’s son Lloyd became a carpenter, and Lloyd’s sons, Raymond and Roy, opened Hinchee & Hinchee General Store in 1925, just up the road from Sycamore Station.
The family store evolved over time, eventually transitioning into the explosives business, supporting road construction projects throughout the region. “They kept dynamite on Hinchee Trail,” Maggi recalled with a laugh, describing how her grandfather and great-uncle shifted from retail to blasting work.
Now, Maggi and Nancy are putting their own spin on the family’s tradition of entrepreneurship—with a strong focus on community. “We started in a food truck during COVID, just as a steppingstone,” Maggi explained. “We never imagined it would become a food-based business.”
But the food has taken off in unexpected ways. Their blueberry grilled cheese—a mix of sweet, tangy goat cheese and Swiss—has developed a bit of a cult following. “People come in and ask, ‘Do you still have that blueberry thing?'” Maggi said. Other menu hits include a turkey-apple-cheddar sandwich and a smoky gouda pimento cheese, which was refined through trial and error.
They also offer popular vegetarian and gluten-free options, including pastrami-spiced sweet potatoes and a bison meatloaf that’s become a surprise favorite. “We wanted it to be Southern-inspired, but different from what you can find anywhere else.”
Sycamore Station isn’t just about food, though. The building includes a community room that hosts regular Thursday night events, art classes, and local performances. “It’s about creating a place where people want to come together,” said Nancy.
That vision is already resonating with the community. Locals and travelers alike—drawn in by the nearby interstate exit—stop in for coffee, gelato, and a quiet moment on the porch. Dogs are welcome, too. “We’ve got treats under the bench,” Maggi said, smiling. “As long as they’re well-behaved.”
For Maggi, opening the store has felt like coming full circle. “I wanted to do this right out of college, but it wasn’t the right time,” she said. “Now it is. And Mom was on board—so here we are.”
From blacksmiths to general storekeepers, blasters to baristas, the Hinchee-Pace family legacy continues at Sycamore Station—rooted in the past, but building a new future.
while fostering a space for community connection.
