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LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau |
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1. “B” Honey
(574) 642-1145 Monday-Saturday, 8am to 5pm. The bees do the initial work here, but Perry Bontrager Jr. and his family, who own this operation, help them out with the final product. Take home pure honey and flavored cream honey in a spreadable consistency and all kinds of flavors, including blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and pecan. They also create candles made out of beeswax and soy to light your home while you indulge in their delicious treats. |
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2. B & L Woodcrafts
(888)642-6016 Open year-round, 8am to 5pm daily. You can design your own bird house or bird feeder (Reservations required). You pick out the parts and the crafters here will make a one-of-a-kind creation for your feathered friends. Then peruse the hand-crafted lawn and patio furniture, as well as dining room tables and chairs. You don't want to miss the large timber frame barn that fits in so well with the Amish countryside, which is full of antiques, crafts, bird feeders and wooden clothes drying racks |
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3. Bread Box Bakery and Café and Scherger’s Kettle
(800) 447-6475 or (260) 768-4629; ShipshewanaBakery.com Open April - November, Monday-Saturday 9am to 5pm; December, February and March, Thursday-Saturday 9am to 5pm. The tempting aromas of homemade cinnamon rolls and simmering fruit that will soon be turned into jams and jellies let you know you're in for Amish delights before you even step inside the Bread Box and Scherger's Kettle right next door in the heart of Shipshewana. Watch Amish cooks create breads, huge cookies and pies, as well as jams and jellies before you indulge in a lunch that features from-scratch soups, salads and sandwiches. Take home local products such as noodles and popcorn. |
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4. Cook’s Bison Ranch
(866) 382-2356; CooksBisonRanch.com Open May-October. Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-2pm. Call for tour times and schedules. If you've never seen a bison up close, here's your chance. A guided wagon ride takes you into the fields at this ranch where you'll learn how they raise this historic animal which was almost extinct not long ago, and even get a chance to feed one yourself. Feast on a bison burger or chuck wagon meal in the dining room, which features a barn-like setting, and then shop for bison meat, jerky and hides in the gift shop. |
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5. D’vine Gallery Garden & Gifts
(260) 768-7110; DVineGallery.com Open May-November, Monday-Friday 10am to 5pm; Saturday 10am to 3pm. Colorful gardens surrounding this shop seem right in sync with the works of local artists who display their wares here, including weaving, beading and jewelry. An amazing selection of yarns from all over the world entice knitters. You'll also find beads, Amish and Mennonite quilts, pottery, jewelry and paintings. Learn a new skill yourself by signing up for a knitting, weaving or beading class. In the spring and early summer, you can buy herbs and exotic plants. |
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6. Galarina Folk Arts
(260) 768-4227; AmishArt.com Tuesday-Saturday. January-March by appointment. Art and history meet at this shop located in Shipshewana's oldest building, originally an 1888 train station. What used to be the train master's office is now home to Bennington pottery, face jugs and prints of Amish children. You'll also find a room displaying the works of artist Will Moses, as well as galleries filled with etchings and prints that local artists produce, many with an American heritage flair. |
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7. Greenfield Mills
(260) 367-2394; NewRinkelFlour.com Monday-Friday 9:30am to 5pm; Saturday 9:30am to 12pm How did the wheat turn into flour a century or two ago? You'll see on a guided tour at this mill, with equipment that dates back to the 1800s. Indiana's oldest commercial water-powered flour mill has been in operation for more than a century and still produces flour products, including 11 kinds of delicious pancake mixes. Try the blueberry, pumpkin spice or chocolate chip and other yummy options. |
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8. Guggisberg Deutsch Kase Haus
(330) 893-2500; BabySwiss.com Visit Indiana's largest cheese factory and you're in for a treat! It's the home of world-class longhorn cheeses, such as Colby, Marble and Pepper Jack. The Guggisberg gift shop features large viewing windows that offer you a bird's eye view to how they make those championship cheeses. Also featured in the store are more than 40 varieties of cheese (you can sample them all), as well as jams, jellies, local meats and other area treats. You'll want to stock up on these delights to take home with you. |
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9. It's a Masterpiece
(260)768-9100 Open year-round, Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (call ahead when snow is on the ground) Mary Masters is a member of the Potawatomi, and you'll find everything Native American in her shop. Choose from paintings, puzzles and sculpture that she creates. She loves to share stories with customers that her grandmothers told her, as well as the history of the area, where her family has lived for generations. All the time you're at the shop, Native American flute music created by Kevin Masters plays. You can take that home, too. |
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10. Jo Jo’s Pretzels
(260) 768-7759; ShipshewanaShops.com Open year-round, Monday-Saturday 9am to 5pm. A buttery aroma lures you to this pretzel shop, where Amish bakers will show how these delicacies are made from scratch. Perhaps you feel a sweet craving coming on and want this big soft creation sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Or maybe your taste buds are running toward a pretzel dipped in one of Jo Jo's famous mustards (take a jar of hot or sweet home with you). You also can order soup, sandwiches and ice cream. |
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11. Kingsbury House Gallery
(260) 562-1016; KingsburyGallery.com Open year-round, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. summers, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. winters. Closed Sunday and Monday. This stunning gallery finds its home on the town square, where the 1864 building was a grand hotel. It was refurbished in 2008 by Richard and Karen Frischkorn and taken over as a gallery by Linda Chase. Today, you'll find the works of area artisans here, with everything from unique gifts, painting, sculpture and photography to blown and fused glass. In just two years, the number of exhibiting artists has grown from 15 to over 40. Artist receptions and demonstrations also are held on a regular basis. |
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12. Lambright Woodworking
(260) 593-2997 Open year-round, Monday-Friday 8am to 4:30pm; Saturdays 8am to 3:30pm. Whether you're looking for fine furniture, kitchen linens and gadgets or wooden toys, it's all handcrafted here. You'll learn the history of Lambright Woodworking and even receive a goody bag which includes a coupon for the showroom and retail store. The shop specializes in custom kitchen cabinetry and furniture that crafters will design just for you. |
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13. Laura’s Country Store and Bakery
(260) 562-2800 Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7am to 5pm; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 7am - 4pm. This small family shop has all kinds of merchandise that will make you remember Northern Indiana long after you return home. Family members love to tell you how they fashion their custom hardwood furniture and handmade quilts. You'll want to pick out some delicious baked goods such as breads and cookies made fresh daily. Now also offering meat and cheese, fresh cold cut sandwiches and wraps. |
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14. Little Helpers Quilt Shop
(260) 768-4278 Open year-round, Monday-Saturday 9am to 5pm April thru mid-December; limited hours mid-December thru March. The homemade creations of this Amish family will make your taste buds water. They offer an amazing number of homemade jams and jellies, including black raspberry, red raspberry, apricot, peach, strawberry, rhubarb, blueberry and a couple of intriguing specialties: hot pepper jam and sweet cider jelly. You also can buy pie fillings such as cherry and apple ready to go into a crust and bake. The family also has been making quilts for nine years and offer their own as well as those neighbors make. |
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15. Lotions & Potions
(260) 768-7799 LotionandPotion.com Open year-round, Monday-Saturday 9am to 5pm. Ummm. You'll smell so good and feel good, too, when you chose your very own fragrance or a designer scent from more than 400 available. They go into lotions, shower gels, cologne and much more, all custom blended. For people with allergies, the shop can create fragrance-free products as well. You'll leave feeling as if you've been to your own personal spa. |
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16. M.L. Acres Homestyle Banquets
(260) 768-3248 Open year-round, Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm You're in for a close-up look at Amish life and LeAnne Yoder is more than happy to answer questions and tell you all about it at her home. She sells ketchup, salsas, jams and baked goods, as well as offering a "make and take" class on salsas and cooking classes on Amish baked goods for groups of 10 or more. She'll also prepare an Amish meal for groups. It's your chance to learn all about this unique lifestyle, as well as taking home some delicious products. |
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17. Morton Street Bed & Breakfast
(800) 447-6475 or (260) 768-4391; ShipshewanaLodging.com Open February-December, check-in 2pm to 5pm, arrange for other times. Each of Shipshewana's first five doctors successively called this elegant white-sided house his home back in 1880. The Victorian mood remains with furnishings that recall that era, but the inn boasts modern amenities, such as private baths, queen-size beds and TV. Enjoy a full hot breakfast with breads and pastries made right next door at The Bread Box Bakery before you set off for a day of shopping and exploring. |
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18. Next Door Neighbor Bakery & Deli and Fruitcakes by Deb
(574) 825-1716; FruitCakesByDeb.com Open year-round, Monday-Friday 6am to 3pm; Saturdays 6am to 1pm. As if lunch on a wrap-around porch with vintage furniture and a pastoral view of a working dairy farm next door wasn't enough, the taste treats that have made Deb Lee renowned in the region will add to your day. Her fruitcakes are legendary (make sure and try the tropical with coconut and macadamia nuts or the chocolate with walnuts and cranberries). From-scratch soups such as creamy potato and pulled pork sandwiches round out the menu. |
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19. Owl Toycraft
(260) 593-2651, ext. 2 Open year-round, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. It's a true toyland here, where you'll find dreams made for children. There are farm toys, dolls and marble toys among the more than 50 available. The showroom is also the place where the toys are made, so customers can see what goes into creating them and shop all in one room. The owner loves to chat with visitors, tell them all about his business and give hands-on demonstrations about how it's all done. |
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20. Riegsecker Hardwoods/Blue Gate Marketplace-Blue Gate Restaurant
(260) 768-4725; Riegsecker.com Open year-round, call ahead for hours. In 1985, Mel Riegsecker opened Riegsecker Cabinet as a division of Riegsecker Hardwoods in a small downtown Shipshewana shop with the goal of making high quality Amish-crafted cabinetry. Thanks to this focus on quality it grew and grew and today thousands of customers find finely crafted cabinets and furniture to grace every room in their homes. Take a guided tour of the factory and then search the downtown showrooms for your perfect find. Plus you can dine and pick up delicious Amish baked goods in the adjacent Blue Gate Restaurant. |
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21. Shipshewana Courtyard of Arts
(574) 538-9241; CourtyardofArts.com Open May-October, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat, 10am-5pm Artisans are at work in the little shops that line this cozy courtyard and you can watch them create carved eggshells, slate paintings, paper mache, pottery, oil paintings, original jewelry and more before you decide what treasures to take home. Watch a blacksmith at work. You'll also meet visiting artists as well as musicians who provide a melodic background. |
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22. The Sign of the Boot Leather Shop and The Center for Traditional Arts
(574) 596-1022 Open year-round, Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Forget those mass-marketed shoes, boots and belts! At Cliff Pequet's shop, they showcase the trades and talents that existed in the 1800s and have nearly died out, including coppersmithing, blacksmithing and rug weaving along with leatherworks. Cliff will show you how he makes one-of-a-kind creations in leather with tools and techniques that have been handed down for centuries. You'll find leatherworks that hearken to the past – stick horses, fire buckets, saddlebags and even flyswatters with an 1800s design. |
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23. Silver Star
(260) 768-7958, ext. 1 Open April 1-January 1, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., usually open Saturday, but call ahead. You can't imagine all the unique gifts that are made of leather right here in this shop. Choose from purses, belts (including money or mechanics), coin purses, eyeglass cases, checkbook covers, money clips and a host of other finely crafted leather goods. They will custom-fit belts, right in the shop and you'll be able to choose from a variety including exotic belts of elephant, shark and gator, garnished with everything from jewels to stainless studs and all types of buckles. If you have a custom-designed purse in mind, you can order one to your liking. |
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24. Two Red Chairs Gallery
(574) 524-0457 Open year-round, Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. When you visit Steve Johnson's gallery, you'll find everything there is a true original that he creates himself. He harvests the wood for his Stick and Twig furniture and puts it together using antique hand tools and fastening methods that date back centuries. The result is finely crafted furniture he calls fiddlesticks, all in natural forms and made from sassafras, cherry and maple, all native Northern Indiana woods. The lines follow that of the trees and the bark stays on in most cases. He also sells his original watercolors, featuring farms and homesteads in the area, many of which no longer exist. Each is a one-of-a-kind creation. |
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25. Village View Bed and Breakfast
(260) 562-3168; VillageViewBedAndBreakfast.weebly.com Open year-round, daily, check-in after 3 p.m., check-out 11 a.m. Nestled amid peaceful fields, this 1820s home offers you tranquility in the country from the time you check in. Choose from three guest rooms, each individually decorated. A full breakfast starts your day off right. The eggs that go into it are produced by chickens right on the property (Owner Karen Weiland affectionately calls them "her girls.") You might be served baked French toast, blueberry pancakes or scrambled eggs with bacon or sausage. You also can try your hand at Karen's unique hypertufa pottery and take home a creation of your own. |
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