Photo courtesy of Grandpa's Cheesebarn
Location: On U.S. 250, about 4 miles east of Ashland and a half-mile from Interstate 71.
Provenance: Grandpa’s Cheesebarn began in 1978, when Dick and Vera Baum (aka Grandpa and Grandma), their daughter, Ronda, and her husband, Richard Poorbaugh, converted an old barn sitting on several acres of farmland into a store specializing in cheeses. They later added a second shop called Sweeties Chocolates that sells fudge and candies made from Ronda’s recipes. Grandpa’s granddaughter, Mistie Ankenman, also operates two satellite stores — Best of Grandpa’s Cheesebarn and Sweeties Chocolates —near Interstate 77 in Norton and at Summit Mall in Fairlawn.
Significance: Because of its focus on products and service, Grandpa’s Cheesebarn is one of Ohio’s leading specialty food and gift retailers and is a popular destination for travelers on I-71. “Grandpa’s has stayed in business for 41 years because we never cut corners on quality and have great employees who really take care of customers,” says Christian Albers, the marketing director.
Currently: Grandpa’s Cheesebarn contains two floors of goodies that range from homemade ice cream and cookies to snacks and baking mixes. While customers crave the in-house café’s old-fashioned hot dogs and deli sandwiches, the store is best known for its phenomenal selection of cheese.
“We typically have about 120 different cheeses for sale and offer samples, so customers can try before they buy,” says Albers. Ohio Swiss, made at a small local creamery, is the bestselling cheese, but Grandpa’s also carries imported cheeses, such as Whiskey Cheddar from Ireland and Espresso Bella Vitano, a coffee-coated dessert cheese from Italy.
A culinary complement to Grandpa’s Cheesebarn, Sweeties Chocolates annually produces more than 20,000 pounds of fudge, plus house-made caramels and nonpareils. Its signature treats include dipped pretzels, a chocolate-and-peanut butter buckeye pizza, and jumbo turtles handmade with Sweeties’ own caramel and freshly roasted pecans and cashews.
It’s a little-known fact that: Although he turned 90 in June, Grandpa Baum still comes to the cheesebarn every week. “He makes sure everybody is working hard and that all the cheeses are out,” says Albers.
