Grandpa's Cheese Barn

Ohio is filled with many sights and sounds, scattered across the state. Should you ever find yourself in the rolling hills of rural northeast Ohio, traveling along Interstate 71, you may stumble upon the gem that is Grandpa's Cheese Barn.

Grandpa’s Cheese Barn, located in Ashland, Ohio, opened in 1978. The location has grown and thrived over the past 48 years. The barn has expanded over the years, to include a bigger seating area for the cafe, and Sweeties Chocolate candy shop in the same plaza. Today, it is a very popular tourist stop for travelers to pick up cheese, meats, mixes, candies, and other cooking ingredients.

Recently, Luke and I made a trip down to show just how Midwestern Grandpa’s Cheese Barn really is to a few friends who aren't from Ohio. We made an afternoon out of it, and it was a good time.

Walking up to Grandpa's Cheese Barn, you'll be greeted by Colby, the giant cheese mouse. Outside the Cheese Barn, there is plenty of outdoor seating in a little plaza between the main barn and Sweeties Chocolates, the candy shop. It's very cozy during the summer, however given we visited in early March, it was too cold to sit outside.

When you enter the main barn, you are greeted by....CHEESE! The whole upper level is dedicated to the sale of the cheese, sauces, and meats. Grandpa's is known for its Ohio made swiss cheese, which is very flavorful and much better than any store-bought swiss. The lower level sells a variety of jerky, mixes, and other snacks. The Cafe is also located on the lower level.

After being surrounded by cheese and meats upstairs, we went downstairs to the cafe to get a snack before heading over to Sweeties Chocolates. I got the hotdog, which was freshly made and very tasty. Nate got the Cheddar melt, and split an order of cheese curds with Jill. Luke and Josh each got hot sandwiches, which both looked amazing and yummy.

Entering Sweetie's feels like being a kid in a candy store, because you are in a candy store. They made a note to tell us that anything with a gold sticker is made in house, which a good majority of the products are. They have fudge, homemade candy bars, puppychow, chocolates, gummy candy, and so much more. We spent just as much time in Sweeties shopping as we did in the main barn, just debating which candies to buy.

Before leaving back for home, we got together to take a big group photo with Colby. We all had a great time, and Jill, Nate, and Ronan all enjoyed just how Midwestern and cozy Grandpa’s Cheese Barn is. Nate and Jill were just surprised that we can have an entire little shop dedicated to just cheese, and other snacks, in the middle of nowhere. It has a lot of charm, and it truly is a little gem located along I-71, and is a great, cheesy, stop.

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