diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index 9eacd449..87078408 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -198,11 +198,9 @@ type (
 		pvalues   []string
 		query     url.Values
 		handler   HandlerFunc
-		store     store
+		store     Map
 		echo      *Echo
 	}
-
-	store map[string]interface{}
 )
 
 const (
@@ -349,7 +347,7 @@ func (c *context) Cookies() []*http.Cookie {
 
 func (c *context) Set(key string, val interface{}) {
 	if c.store == nil {
-		c.store = make(store)
+		c.store = make(Map)
 	}
 	c.store[key] = val
 }
diff --git a/echo.go b/echo.go
index e095a913..4d7b72d8 100644
--- a/echo.go
+++ b/echo.go
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ type (
 	Renderer interface {
 		Render(io.Writer, string, interface{}, Context) error
 	}
+
+	// Map defines a generic map of type `map[string]interface{}`.
+	Map map[string]interface{}
 )
 
 // HTTP methods
@@ -265,7 +268,7 @@ func (e *Echo) NewContext(r *http.Request, w http.ResponseWriter) Context {
 	return &context{
 		request:  r,
 		response: NewResponse(w, e),
-		store:    make(store),
+		store:    make(Map),
 		echo:     e,
 		pvalues:  make([]string, *e.maxParam),
 		handler:  NotFoundHandler,