diff --git a/src/libstore-c/nix_api_store.cc b/src/libstore-c/nix_api_store.cc
index 79841ca49a1..ba4a6e6e5eb 100644
--- a/src/libstore-c/nix_api_store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore-c/nix_api_store.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "path.hh"
 #include "store-api.hh"
+#include "store-open.hh"
 #include "build-result.hh"
 
 #include "globals.hh"
diff --git a/src/libstore/binary-cache-store.hh b/src/libstore/binary-cache-store.hh
index 695bc925277..234c39caf3a 100644
--- a/src/libstore/binary-cache-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/binary-cache-store.hh
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@ public:
 
 public:
 
-    virtual void init() override;
+    /**
+     * Perform any necessary effectful operation to make the store up and
+     * running
+     */
+    virtual void init();
 
 private:
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/dummy-store.cc b/src/libstore/dummy-store.cc
index f7509bcdeaf..c6dd71ba669 100644
--- a/src/libstore/dummy-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/dummy-store.cc
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct DummyStoreConfig : virtual StoreConfig {
         return {"dummy"};
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<Store> open() override;
+    std::shared_ptr<Store> openStore() override;
 };
 
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ struct DummyStore : public virtual DummyStoreConfig, public virtual Store
     DummyStore(const Config & config)
         : StoreConfig(config)
         , DummyStoreConfig(config)
-        , Store(config)
+        , Store{static_cast<const Store::Config &>(*this)}
     { }
 
     std::string getUri() override
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ struct DummyStore : public virtual DummyStoreConfig, public virtual Store
     { unsupported("getFSAccessor"); }
 };
 
-std::shared_ptr<Store> DummyStore::Config::open()
+std::shared_ptr<Store> DummyStore::Config::openStore()
 {
     return std::make_shared<DummyStore>(*this);
 }
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-fs-store.cc b/src/libstore/local-fs-store.cc
index fbaf6c3cb1c..a8b23996159 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-fs-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/local-fs-store.cc
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ LocalFSStore::Config::LocalFSStoreConfig(PathView rootDir, const StoreReference:
 }
 
 LocalFSStore::LocalFSStore(const Config & config)
-    : Store(config)
+    : LocalFSStore::Config{config}
+    , Store{static_cast<const Store::Config &>(*this)}
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-fs-store.hh b/src/libstore/local-fs-store.hh
index a400faec05a..654dd210f40 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-fs-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/local-fs-store.hh
@@ -23,17 +23,6 @@ struct LocalFSStoreConfig :
     virtual Store::Config,
     LocalFSStoreConfigT<config::JustValue>
 {
-    LocalFSStoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params &);
-
-    /**
-     * Used to override the `root` settings. Can't be done via modifying
-     * `params` reliably because this parameter is unused except for
-     * passing to base class constructors.
-     *
-     * @todo Make this less error-prone with new store settings system.
-     */
-    LocalFSStoreConfig(PathView path, const StoreReference::Params & params);
-
     struct Descriptions :
         virtual Store::Config::Descriptions,
         LocalFSStoreConfigT<config::SettingInfo>
@@ -49,6 +38,17 @@ struct LocalFSStoreConfig :
     static LocalFSStoreConfigT<config::JustValue> defaults(
         const Store::Config &,
         const std::optional<Path> rootDir);
+
+    LocalFSStoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params &);
+
+    /**
+     * Used to override the `root` settings. Can't be done via modifying
+     * `params` reliably because this parameter is unused except for
+     * passing to base class constructors.
+     *
+     * @todo Make this less error-prone with new store settings system.
+     */
+    LocalFSStoreConfig(PathView path, const StoreReference::Params & params);
 };
 
 struct LocalFSStore :
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-store.cc b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
index 819cee34532..2dfc78ebda3 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include "posix-source-accessor.hh"
 #include "keys.hh"
 #include "users.hh"
+#include "config-parse-impl.hh"
+#include "store-open.hh"
+#include "store-registration.hh"
 
 #include <iostream>
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -56,12 +59,50 @@
 
 namespace nix {
 
-LocalStoreConfig::LocalStoreConfig(
+LocalStore::Config::Descriptions::Descriptions()
+    : Store::Config::Descriptions{Store::Config::descriptions}
+    , LocalFSStore::Config::Descriptions{LocalFSStore::Config::descriptions}
+    , LocalStoreConfigT<config::SettingInfo>{
+        .requireSigs = {
+            .name = "require-sigs",
+            .description = "Whether store paths copied into this store should have a trusted signature.",
+        },
+        .readOnly = {
+            .name = "read-only",
+            .description = R"(
+              Allow this store to be opened when its [database](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-nix-database) is on a read-only filesystem.
+
+              Normally Nix will attempt to open the store database in read-write mode, even for querying (when write access is not needed), causing it to fail if the database is on a read-only filesystem.
+
+              Enable read-only mode to disable locking and open the SQLite database with the [`immutable` parameter](https://www.sqlite.org/c3ref/open.html) set.
+
+              > **Warning**
+              > Do not use this unless the filesystem is read-only.
+              >
+              > Using it when the filesystem is writable can cause incorrect query results or corruption errors if the database is changed by another process.
+              > While the filesystem the database resides on might appear to be read-only, consider whether another user or system might have write access to it.
+            )",
+        },
+    }
+{}
+
+const LocalStore::Config::Descriptions LocalStore::Config::descriptions{};
+
+decltype(LocalStore::Config::defaults) LocalStore::Config::defaults = {
+    .requireSigs = {.value = settings.requireSigs },
+    .readOnly = {.value = false },
+};
+
+LocalStore::Config::LocalStoreConfig(
     std::string_view scheme,
     std::string_view authority,
-    const Params & params)
-    : StoreConfig(params)
-    , LocalFSStoreConfig(authority, params)
+    const StoreReference::Params & params)
+    : Store::Config(params)
+    , LocalFSStore::Config(authority, params)
+    , LocalStoreConfigT<config::JustValue>{
+        CONFIG_ROW(requireSigs),
+        CONFIG_ROW(readOnly),
+    }
 {
 }
 
@@ -72,6 +113,11 @@ std::string LocalStoreConfig::doc()
         ;
 }
 
+std::shared_ptr<Store> LocalStore::Config::openStore()
+{
+    return std::make_shared<LocalStore>(*this);
+}
+
 struct LocalStore::State::Stmts {
     /* Some precompiled SQLite statements. */
     SQLiteStmt RegisterValidPath;
@@ -192,15 +238,12 @@ void migrateCASchema(SQLite& db, Path schemaPath, AutoCloseFD& lockFd)
     }
 }
 
-LocalStore::LocalStore(
-    std::string_view scheme,
-    PathView path,
-    const Params & params)
-    : StoreConfig(params)
-    , LocalFSStoreConfig(path, params)
-    , LocalStoreConfig(scheme, path, params)
-    , Store(params)
-    , LocalFSStore(params)
+LocalStore::LocalStore(const Config & config)
+    : Store::Config{config}
+    , LocalFSStore::Config{config}
+    , LocalStore::Config{config}
+    , Store{static_cast<const Store::Config &>(*this)}
+    , LocalFSStore{static_cast<const LocalFSStore::Config &>(*this)}
     , dbDir(stateDir + "/db")
     , linksDir(realStoreDir + "/.links")
     , reservedPath(dbDir + "/reserved")
@@ -477,12 +520,6 @@ LocalStore::LocalStore(
 }
 
 
-LocalStore::LocalStore(const Params & params)
-    : LocalStore("local", "", params)
-{
-}
-
-
 AutoCloseFD LocalStore::openGCLock()
 {
     Path fnGCLock = stateDir + "/gc.lock";
@@ -1512,7 +1549,7 @@ LocalStore::VerificationResult LocalStore::verifyAllValidPaths(RepairFlag repair
        database and the filesystem) in the loop below, in order to catch
        invalid states.
      */
-    for (auto & i : std::filesystem::directory_iterator{realStoreDir.to_string()}) {
+    for (auto & i : std::filesystem::directory_iterator{realStoreDir.get()}) {
         checkInterrupt();
         try {
             storePathsInStoreDir.insert({i.path().filename().string()});
@@ -1802,6 +1839,6 @@ std::optional<std::string> LocalStore::getVersion()
     return nixVersion;
 }
 
-static RegisterStoreImplementation<LocalStore, LocalStoreConfig> regLocalStore;
+static RegisterStoreImplementation<LocalStore> regLocalStore;
 
 }  // namespace nix
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-store.hh b/src/libstore/local-store.hh
index a03cfc03b30..13e26922c0a 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/local-store.hh
@@ -34,36 +34,40 @@ struct OptimiseStats
     uint64_t bytesFreed = 0;
 };
 
-struct LocalStoreConfig : virtual LocalFSStoreConfig
+template<template<typename> class F>
+struct LocalStoreConfigT
 {
-    using LocalFSStoreConfig::LocalFSStoreConfig;
+    const F<bool> requireSigs;
 
-    LocalStoreConfig(
-        std::string_view scheme,
-        std::string_view authority,
-        const Params & params);
+    const F<bool> readOnly;
+};
 
-    Setting<bool> requireSigs{this,
-        settings.requireSigs,
-        "require-sigs",
-        "Whether store paths copied into this store should have a trusted signature."};
+struct LocalStoreConfig :
+    virtual Store::Config,
+    virtual LocalFSStore::Config,
+    LocalStoreConfigT<config::JustValue>
+{
+    struct Descriptions :
+        virtual Store::Config::Descriptions,
+        virtual LocalFSStore::Config::Descriptions,
+        LocalStoreConfigT<config::SettingInfo>
+    {
+        Descriptions();
+    };
 
-    Setting<bool> readOnly{this,
-        false,
-        "read-only",
-        R"(
-          Allow this store to be opened when its [database](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-nix-database) is on a read-only filesystem.
+    static const Descriptions descriptions;
 
-          Normally Nix will attempt to open the store database in read-write mode, even for querying (when write access is not needed), causing it to fail if the database is on a read-only filesystem.
+    /**
+     * The other defaults depend on the choice of `storeDir` and `rootDir`
+     */
+    static LocalStoreConfigT<config::JustValue> defaults;
 
-          Enable read-only mode to disable locking and open the SQLite database with the [`immutable` parameter](https://www.sqlite.org/c3ref/open.html) set.
+    LocalStoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params &);
 
-          > **Warning**
-          > Do not use this unless the filesystem is read-only.
-          >
-          > Using it when the filesystem is writable can cause incorrect query results or corruption errors if the database is changed by another process.
-          > While the filesystem the database resides on might appear to be read-only, consider whether another user or system might have write access to it.
-        )"};
+    LocalStoreConfig(
+        std::string_view scheme,
+        std::string_view authority,
+        const StoreReference::Params & params);
 
     const std::string name() override { return "Local Store"; }
 
@@ -71,12 +75,19 @@ struct LocalStoreConfig : virtual LocalFSStoreConfig
     { return {"local"}; }
 
     std::string doc() override;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<Store> openStore() override;
 };
 
-class LocalStore : public virtual LocalStoreConfig
-    , public virtual IndirectRootStore
-    , public virtual GcStore
+class LocalStore :
+    public virtual LocalStoreConfig,
+    public virtual IndirectRootStore,
+    public virtual GcStore
 {
+public:
+
+    using Config = LocalStoreConfig;
+
 private:
 
     /**
@@ -144,11 +155,7 @@ public:
      * Initialise the local store, upgrading the schema if
      * necessary.
      */
-    LocalStore(const Params & params);
-    LocalStore(
-        std::string_view scheme,
-        PathView path,
-        const Params & params);
+    LocalStore(const Config & params);
 
     ~LocalStore();
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/machines.hh b/src/libstore/machines.hh
index 983652d5f8b..671de208468 100644
--- a/src/libstore/machines.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/machines.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #pragma once
 ///@file
 
+#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
+
 #include "ref.hh"
 #include "store-reference.hh"
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/store-api.cc b/src/libstore/store-api.cc
index 95aa103e46e..c4bb9d594b0 100644
--- a/src/libstore/store-api.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/store-api.cc
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ std::pair<StorePath, Hash> StoreDirConfig::computeStorePath(
 }
 
 
-StoreConfig::Descriptions::Descriptions()
+Store::Config::Descriptions::Descriptions()
     : StoreDirConfig::Descriptions{StoreDirConfig::descriptions}
     , StoreConfigT<config::SettingInfo>{
         .pathInfoCacheSize = {
@@ -235,19 +235,19 @@ StoreConfig::Descriptions::Descriptions()
 }
 
 
-const StoreConfig::Descriptions StoreConfig::descriptions{};
+const Store::Config::Descriptions Store::Config::descriptions{};
 
 
-decltype(StoreConfig::defaults) StoreConfig::defaults = {
+decltype(Store::Config::defaults) Store::Config::defaults = {
     .pathInfoCacheSize = { .value = 65536 },
     .isTrusted = { .value = false },
     .priority = { .value = 0 },
     .wantMassQuery = { .value = false },
-    .systemFeatures = { .value = StoreConfig::getDefaultSystemFeatures() },
+    .systemFeatures = { .value = Store::Config::getDefaultSystemFeatures() },
 };
 
 
-StoreConfig::StoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params & params)
+Store::Config::StoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params & params)
     : StoreDirConfig{params}
     , StoreConfigT<config::JustValue>{
         CONFIG_ROW(pathInfoCacheSize),
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ ValidPathInfo Store::addToStoreSlow(
     return info;
 }
 
-StringSet StoreConfig::getDefaultSystemFeatures()
+StringSet Store::Config::getDefaultSystemFeatures()
 {
     auto res = settings.systemFeatures.get();
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/store-api.hh b/src/libstore/store-api.hh
index 9d114ff40c7..09352e601ba 100644
--- a/src/libstore/store-api.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/store-api.hh
@@ -115,8 +115,6 @@ struct StoreConfig :
     StoreDirConfig,
     StoreConfigT<config::JustValue>
 {
-    StoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params &);
-
     struct Descriptions :
         StoreDirConfig::Descriptions,
         StoreConfigT<config::SettingInfo>
@@ -128,10 +126,12 @@ struct StoreConfig :
 
     static const Descriptions descriptions;
 
-    static StringSet getDefaultSystemFeatures();
+    StoreConfig(const StoreReference::Params &);
 
     virtual ~StoreConfig() { }
 
+    static StringSet getDefaultSystemFeatures();
+
     /**
      * The name of this type of store.
      */
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ struct StoreConfig :
      * Open a store of the type corresponding to this configuration
      * type.
      */
-    virtual std::shared_ptr<Store> open() = 0;
+    virtual std::shared_ptr<Store> openStore() = 0;
 };
 
 class Store : public std::enable_shared_from_this<Store>, public virtual StoreConfig
@@ -208,11 +208,6 @@ protected:
     Store(const Store::Config & config);
 
 public:
-    /**
-     * Perform any necessary effectful operation to make the store up and
-     * running
-     */
-    virtual void init() {};
 
     virtual ~Store() { }
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/store-dir-config.hh b/src/libstore/store-dir-config.hh
index 4f90c5b5fc5..19391322907 100644
--- a/src/libstore/store-dir-config.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/store-dir-config.hh
@@ -27,14 +27,14 @@ struct StoreDirConfigT
 
 struct StoreDirConfig : StoreDirConfigT<config::JustValue>
 {
-    StoreDirConfig(const StoreReference::Params & params);
-
     static const StoreDirConfigT<config::JustValue> defaults;
 
     using Descriptions = StoreDirConfigT<config::SettingInfo>;
 
     static const Descriptions descriptions;
 
+    StoreDirConfig(const StoreReference::Params & params);
+
     virtual ~StoreDirConfig() = default;
 
     const Path & storeDir = _storeDir.value;
diff --git a/src/libutil/config-abstract.hh b/src/libutil/config-abstract.hh
index 4737a29cc7c..7d546b33332 100644
--- a/src/libutil/config-abstract.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/config-abstract.hh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct JustValue
 };
 
 template<typename T>
-auto operator <<(auto str, const JustValue<T> & opt)
+auto && operator <<(auto && str, const JustValue<T> & opt)
 {
     return str << opt.get();
 }
diff --git a/src/nix-channel/nix-channel.cc b/src/nix-channel/nix-channel.cc
index 9f7f557b59d..d8d0d518b78 100644
--- a/src/nix-channel/nix-channel.cc
+++ b/src/nix-channel/nix-channel.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "globals.hh"
 #include "filetransfer.hh"
 #include "store-api.hh"
+#include "store-open.hh"
 #include "legacy.hh"
 #include "eval-settings.hh" // for defexpr
 #include "users.hh"
diff --git a/tests/unit/libstore-support/tests/libstore.hh b/tests/unit/libstore-support/tests/libstore.hh
index 84be52c230b..5710a12d9b6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/libstore-support/tests/libstore.hh
+++ b/tests/unit/libstore-support/tests/libstore.hh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <gmock/gmock.h>
 
 #include "store-api.hh"
+#include "store-open.hh"
 
 namespace nix {