Published: August 16, 2008 09:41 pm         

New store offers authentic Amish products

Visitors have been traveling to Pennsylvania’s Amish Country for literally hundreds of years.

Since 1681, Amish, Quakers, Mennonites, Moravians and Schwenkfieders have moved to Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana to establish communities. The areas are also referred to as Dutch County.

Rodney Lewis says he never really had the desire to take his vacation in Amish Country, but his wife Linda insisted.

“She really wanted to go and told me that I would like it,” he said.

In the Amish, Lewis found a very interesting culture.

“They have great work ethic and family values,” Rodney Lewis said. “I was really impressed.”

Lewis wanted to figure out a way to bring back some of that culture and products to southern West Virginia.

“I had an accountant that owned an Amish store that had gone out of business, so I inquired about it,” he said.

Lewis believed a great business opportunity existed, if he could bring the right foods, furniture and other Amish goods to the Beckley area.

“My accountant was very helpful in telling us where to go in Amish Country and how to develop business relationships with them,” he said.

Lewis purchased the stored items used to operate the failed Amish store and then opened his own, called the Amish Barn Country Store.

With the help of his daughter, Leigh, who is also the store’s manager, the business opened in April at 2040 Robert C. Byrd Drive in MacArthur.

“We felt we had an opportunity to bring the culture and products here to Beckley for those who can’t visit Amish Country,” Leigh said.

The Amish Barn held its grand opening earlier this month with various food samples and prizes.

“It was a day of fun and an opportunity to show off what we have to offer here,” said Leigh.

Leigh says they get most of the store’s food items from Dutch Valley in Pennsylvania.

“They are our bulk food vendor,” she said. “They bring in fresh grocery items each week.”

The meat and cheeses are from various Amish farms in Ohio.

“Dad and I actually hand-select the Amish furniture items we sell,” she said.

The Farmhouse Furniture portion of the business offers the chance for the family to visit Amish Country often.

“We have to actually go out to the Amish farms,” Rodney said. “They usually have a little work area, many times in their barns, to build the furniture.”

The store offers bulk foods, cheeses, meats, crafts, candles and other Amish and West Virginia products.

“The quality of the foods and furniture is amazing,” Leigh said. “The furniture is made of all quality hardwoods and the food tastes like it just came right off the farm.”

The meats and cheeses are some of the store’s best selling items.

“Farm fresh and a lot of variety,” Rodney said. “They don’t believe in steroids or hormones, so you get a different taste than what is found in grocery store products.”

Chickens, turkeys and hams in a variety of styles and flavors are the most popular meat items.

“We have roast beef and pastrami as well,” Leigh said.

The cheese list includes bacon cheese, green onion cheese and pepperoni cheese, just to name a few.

“We have over 35 different types of Amish cheeses,” Leigh said. “They are all so fresh and the quality is something you have to come in and taste for yourself.”

Complete solid oak wood bedrooms suites are available on the furniture side.

“We can get them in cherry wood, too,” Rodney said.

Kitchen and dining room furniture, vegetable bins, outdoor swings and bookcases are all part of the Amish Barn’s farmhouse furniture inventory.

The family-owned and operated business employs eight people.

“It’s been a great family experience,” Leigh said. “It’s been great so far. The store has also brought our family closer together.”

For more information about the Amish Barn, call 304-254-9625.

— E-mail: fpace@register-herald.com