diff --git a/internal/cli/store/init.go b/internal/cli/store/init.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b249b6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cli/store/init.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package store
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/blob"
+	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/cli"
+	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/directory"
+	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/pathinfo"
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
+)
+
+type Init struct {
+	Log  cli.LogOptions  `embed:""`
+	Nats cli.NatsOptions `embed:""`
+}
+
+func (i *Init) Run() error {
+	i.Log.ConfigureLogger()
+	conn := i.Nats.Connect()
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	log.Info("initialising stores")
+
+	log.Info("initialising blob chunk store")
+	if err := blob.NewChunkStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to initialise blob chunk store: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("initialising blob meta store")
+	if err := blob.NewMetaStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to initialise blob meta store: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("initialising directory store")
+	if err := directory.NewDirectoryStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to initialise directory store: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("initialising path info store")
+	if err := pathinfo.NewPathInfoStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to initialise path info store: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("initialising path info out idx store")
+	if err := pathinfo.NewPathInfoOutIdxStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("failed to initialise path info out idx store: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("initialising stores complete")
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/cli/store/run.go b/internal/cli/store/run.go
index 681a0be..6ee45f6 100644
--- a/internal/cli/store/run.go
+++ b/internal/cli/store/run.go
@@ -22,10 +22,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/blob"
 
-	grpcprom "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/providers/prometheus"
-	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
-
 	pb "code.tvl.fyi/tvix/castore/protos"
+	grpcprom "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/providers/prometheus"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 	"github.com/ztrue/shutdown"
@@ -34,10 +32,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Run struct {
-	Log cli.LogOptions `embed:"" short:"v"`
-
-	NatsUrl         string `short:"n" env:"NVIX_STORE_NATS_URL" default:"nats://localhost:4222"`
-	NatsCredentials string `short:"c" env:"NVIX_STORE_NATS_CREDENTIALS_FILE" required:"" type:"path"`
+	Log  cli.LogOptions  `embed:""`
+	Nats cli.NatsOptions `embed:""`
 
 	ListenAddr  string `short:"l" env:"NVIX_STORE_LISTEN_ADDR" default:"localhost:5000"`
 	MetricsAddr string `short:"m" env:"NVIX_STORE_METRICS_ADDR" default:"localhost:5050"`
@@ -46,10 +42,7 @@ type Run struct {
 func (r *Run) Run() error {
 	r.Log.ConfigureLogger()
 
-	conn, err := nats.Connect(r.NatsUrl, nats.UserCredentials(r.NatsCredentials))
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("failed to connect to nats: %v", err)
-	}
+	conn := r.Nats.Connect()
 
 	blobServer, err := blob.NewServer(conn)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/cli/store/store.go b/internal/cli/store/store.go
index 8d63439..abf34b1 100644
--- a/internal/cli/store/store.go
+++ b/internal/cli/store/store.go
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package store
 
 type Cli struct {
-	Run Run `cmd:"" default:""`
+	Run  Run  `cmd:"" default:""`
+	Init Init `cmd:""`
 }
diff --git a/nix/dev/nvix.nix b/nix/dev/nvix.nix
index 1d2da90..404e8b1 100644
--- a/nix/dev/nvix.nix
+++ b/nix/dev/nvix.nix
@@ -2,16 +2,26 @@
   perSystem = {self', ...}: {
     config.process-compose = {
       dev.settings.processes = {
-        nvix-store = {
+        nvix-store-init = {
           depends_on = {
             nats-server.condition = "process_healthy";
             nsc-push.condition = "process_completed_successfully";
           };
           working_dir = "$PRJ_DATA_DIR";
+          environment = {
+            NVIX_STORE_NATS_CREDENTIALS_FILE = "./nsc/creds/Tvix/Store/Admin.creds";
+          };
+          command = "${lib.getExe self'.packages.nvix} store init -v";
+        };
+        nvix-store = {
+          depends_on = {
+            nvix-store-init.condition = "process_completed_successfully";
+          };
+          working_dir = "$PRJ_DATA_DIR";
           environment = {
             NVIX_STORE_NATS_CREDENTIALS_FILE = "./nsc/creds/Tvix/Store/Server.creds";
           };
-          command = "${lib.getExe self'.packages.nvix} store";
+          command = "${lib.getExe self'.packages.nvix} store run -v";
           # TODO readiness probe
         };
       };
diff --git a/pkg/blob/grpc.go b/pkg/blob/grpc.go
index 4216669..e699260 100644
--- a/pkg/blob/grpc.go
+++ b/pkg/blob/grpc.go
@@ -8,26 +8,12 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/store"
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
-	"github.com/juju/errors"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
 
 func NewServer(conn *nats.Conn) (*Server, error) {
-	js, err := conn.JetStream()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create a JetStream context")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&DiskBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create disk based stream")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&MemoryBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create memory based stream")
-	}
-
 	return &Server{
 		conn: conn,
 		store: &store.CdcStore{
diff --git a/pkg/blob/grpc_test.go b/pkg/blob/grpc_test.go
index 61d3761..4ccd451 100644
--- a/pkg/blob/grpc_test.go
+++ b/pkg/blob/grpc_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,16 @@ var sizes = []bytesize.ByteSize{
 func blobServer(s *server.Server, t test.TestingT) (*grpc.Server, net.Listener) {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	blobService, err := NewServer(test.NatsConn(t, s))
+	conn := test.NatsConn(t, s)
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	if err := NewMetaStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else if err := NewChunkStore(conn).Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	blobService, err := NewServer(conn)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create blob service: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/nats.go b/pkg/cli/nats.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d102898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/nats.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+)
+
+type NatsOptions struct {
+	NatsUrl         string `short:"n" env:"NVIX_STORE_NATS_URL" default:"nats://localhost:4222"`
+	NatsCredentials string `short:"c" env:"NVIX_STORE_NATS_CREDENTIALS_FILE" required:"" type:"path"`
+}
+
+func (no *NatsOptions) Connect() *nats.Conn {
+	conn, err := nats.Connect(no.NatsUrl, nats.UserCredentials(no.NatsCredentials))
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("failed to connect to nats: %v", err)
+	}
+	return conn
+}
diff --git a/pkg/directory/grpc.go b/pkg/directory/grpc.go
index 46bf950..76098ca 100644
--- a/pkg/directory/grpc.go
+++ b/pkg/directory/grpc.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/store"
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
-	"github.com/juju/errors"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 
@@ -19,19 +18,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func NewServer(conn *nats.Conn) (*Server, error) {
-	js, err := conn.JetStream()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create a JetStream context")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&DiskBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create disk based stream")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&MemoryBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create memory based stream")
-	}
-
 	return &Server{
 		conn:  conn,
 		store: NewDirectoryStore(conn),
diff --git a/pkg/pathinfo/grpc.go b/pkg/pathinfo/grpc.go
index 594cff0..8419ed4 100644
--- a/pkg/pathinfo/grpc.go
+++ b/pkg/pathinfo/grpc.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/brianmcgee/nvix/pkg/store"
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
-	"github.com/juju/errors"
 	multihash "github.com/multiformats/go-multihash/core"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/nix-community/go-nix/pkg/hash"
@@ -23,19 +22,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func NewServer(conn *nats.Conn, blob *blob.Server, directory *directory.Server) (*Service, error) {
-	js, err := conn.JetStream()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create a JetStream context")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&DiskBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create disk based stream")
-	}
-
-	if _, err := js.AddStream(&MemoryBasedStreamConfig); err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Annotate(err, "failed to create memory based stream")
-	}
-
 	return &Service{
 		conn:      conn,
 		store:     NewPathInfoStore(conn),
diff --git a/pkg/store/cache.go b/pkg/store/cache.go
index 028cc7d..8b3961d 100644
--- a/pkg/store/cache.go
+++ b/pkg/store/cache.go
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ type CachingStore struct {
 	Memory Store
 }
 
+func (c *CachingStore) Init(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if err := c.Disk.Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return c.Memory.Init(ctx)
+}
+
 func (c *CachingStore) List(ctx context.Context) (util.Iterator[io.ReadCloser], error) {
 	return c.Disk.List(ctx)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/store/cdc.go b/pkg/store/cdc.go
index 298f360..d744ca2 100644
--- a/pkg/store/cdc.go
+++ b/pkg/store/cdc.go
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ type CdcStore struct {
 	Chunks Store
 }
 
+func (c *CdcStore) Init(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if err := c.Meta.Init(ctx); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return c.Chunks.Init(ctx)
+}
+
 func (c *CdcStore) getMeta(key string, ctx context.Context) (*pb.BlobMeta, error) {
 	reader, err := c.Meta.Get(key, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/store/nats.go b/pkg/store/nats.go
index 76256dd..d70ab10 100644
--- a/pkg/store/nats.go
+++ b/pkg/store/nats.go
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ type NatsStore struct {
 	SubjectPrefix string
 }
 
+func (n *NatsStore) Init(ctx context.Context) error {
+	js, err := n.js(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = js.AddStream(n.StreamConfig)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (n *NatsStore) Stat(key string, ctx context.Context) (ok bool, err error) {
 	var reader io.ReadCloser
 	reader, err = n.Get(key, ctx)
diff --git a/pkg/store/types.go b/pkg/store/types.go
index 9006d4c..f300e35 100644
--- a/pkg/store/types.go
+++ b/pkg/store/types.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ func (d Digest) String() string {
 }
 
 type Store interface {
+	Init(ctx context.Context) error
 	Get(key string, ctx context.Context) (io.ReadCloser, error)
 	Put(key string, reader io.ReadCloser, ctx context.Context) error
 	PutAsync(key string, reader io.ReadCloser, ctx context.Context) (nats.PubAckFuture, error)