As most of you know, one of my favorite activities in Amish country is just driving around and trying to find home-based businesses to sample. It could be an Amish family selling fresh eggs, maple syrup, or baked goods. I look at these as opportunities to have some authentic interaction with the Amish while also helping them by patronizing their products. The Amish may not like gawky, impolite tourists, but they'll roll out the red carpet for non-Amish visitors who have money to spend at their businesses (and I'm not saying that in a derogatory way, makes perfect sense!)
While driving around between Mount Hope and Berlin, Ohio I saw signs directing me to The Farmside Country Store. So I followed the signs off the beaten path and into the bucolic countryside and was soon rewarded with a super stop!
Man, this outdoor table is where the deep discounts were. And I scored one thing that will last me a LONG time. Dishwasher detergent pods. They had a couple of bags of Finish dishwasher pods on sale for $3 for a bag of 100!! I that same bag would have cost me $30 at Walmart. So, yeah, I was probably way too excited to score that, but I won't be buying any pods for a year. (I actually prefer Cascade, but I can learn to love Finish for that price!)
The store is a combination bent and dent/regular grocery store with a dozen aisles packing with anything you need. This buggy was an Amish Mom with several of her children doing their regular shopping here. But there are definitely deep discounts to be had. My girls bought some soaps and chapstick at closeout prices.
Amish customers filled the well lit store. The store has electric lights, likely running off a generator, because they also have some refrigerated coolers. But no air-conditioning and on this day it was stifling hot inside.
In addition to food and toiletries, this "Amish Walmart" or "Amish Target" had a section of school supplies, arts and crafts, and books. Really, if you are an Amish family, you'd probably be able to get most of your family's needs met here. And if you are a non-Amish shopper you can score some amazing deals - like $3 packages of 100 detergent pods!
The store is located on the grounds of a house. So the Amish residents live and work on the premises, giving the store an authenticity that can't be manufactured. A sign outside trumpets some of the store's better deals.
What to know
address: in your GPS, enter : 6950 Township Road 362, Millersburg, OH 44654
The store is open six days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on Saturdays)
And bring cash! The store does not accept credit cards, so bring checkbook or lots of cash!
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