Henry Hamlin's Store was originally owned by Orlo J. Hamlin, Sr. This small business had an inventory valuing only about $500 and was almost a hobby compared to his law firm. Orlo’s brother Byron joined as a partner after a failed attempt to attend college. After about a year and a half, Byron decided to try attending college again. After this last attempt failed, Byron then returned to Smethport and joined Orlo’s law firm as a clerk and in 1846 was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar.

In 1849, Byron’s nephew, Henry Hamlin, began working as a clerk in the Hamlin store. As Henry became older, he became a co-owner of the store, replacing his father, Orlo. Henry then took over the store as full owner. In 1853, Henry began loaning money from the general store. From this money loaning endeavor, the “Exchange Office of Henry Hamlin” was established in 1863, on the second floor of the Hamlin Store. Henry and some minor partners owned the store until about 1866, when Henry Hamlin and Townsend became partners in the general store.

Some of the items sold in Henry's store were groceries, such as flour, fish, salt, pork, and dry goods. Cloth and ready made clothing, were also available.Clothing included hats, caps, boots, shoes, gloves, cravats, and hosiery. Henry Hamlin's store also sold china, crockery, glassware, woodenware, stationary, schoolbooks, pens, ink, chemicals, paint, wallpaper, medicines, perfumes, tobacco, cigars, and garden seeds.

In 1874, the Hamlin Store was sold to William Haskill and Henry Hamlin began fully concentrating on his banking business. “The Exchange Office of Henry Hamlin” continued to operate on the second floor of the Haskill Store until a fire destroyed the building. After the fire, Henry moved his business to his uncle Byron’s law office until the Hamlin Bank building was completed.
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