The sign you see here welcomes you to Peachey’s Country Store, a place definitely worth stopping if you find yourself in the Somerset County, Pennsylvania Amish community.
I had this spot in mind for a re-visit ever since I was here in 2015, and was happy – though not surprised – to see it was still in business when I visited the community earlier this month.
While the front of the building has changed a tad (they moved the main sign, and added a cinder block chimney) I was also pleased to see they hadn’t changed the “OPEN” sign, pleasingly hand-painted on a notched-out piece of wood:
There had been a good covering of snow due to some weather the evening before (one reason I ended up staying over in the county, having ambitiously left Geauga County a bit late in the day).
It made the driving a bit more challenging (at least in my vehicle) but added a literal layer of beauty to the hilly terrain of the community.
Tending the store that day was a cheerful teenage girl who said she was from another part of the community.
She was patient with me as I went around the store loading up with baked goods and a few little Christmas gifts I planned to share with friends in Lancaster County and beyond.
I didn’t snag a photo, but they actually had a full assortment of Christmas-themed items for sale – including some festive mailboxes filled with chocolates.
I wasn’t the only one there as they had several other customers in and out during my visit. Truth be told the store is pretty far back in there (“off-the-beaten-path” is a pretty good description here all things considered) but plenty of locals surely know about it.
I only saw English customers in that day, though in addition to the baked goods it has a variety store-type section with items that would appeal to Amish customers as well.
As is often the case in off-the-beaten-path Amish places, the prices here are good, especially compared to those in more touristy Amish places. How about mini-pies for two dollars:
Their full-sized pies also feel like a steal – most if not all were seven dollars. On the one hand it’s tempting to go with a Peach pie when you’re at Peachey’s, but I chose Peanut Butter:
Many Amish families make thin, colorful Sand Tarts for the Christmas season:
For that matter the place has quite a nice selection of cookies:
How about a big assorted cookie plate for $14:
Pecan Tassies. I’ve never tried these. I did get a Pecan fry pie here though.
Rice Krispie Treats. These had a layer of chocolate and some other things added to them. I picked up a couple packages:
Some assorted baked goods – breads, whoopie pies, and donuts at bottom. You can see why it was tough to narrow down choices in this place.
More on these shelves:
Where to find the pumpkin rolls.
The Somerset County Amish community
The Somerset County area is not touristy, at least not the Amish parts – though they do have some popular ski resorts. The community has a fair share of nice Amish-owned stores and stands you can visit (as well as some non-Amish ones like soon-to-be 130-year-old Springs Store, or Yoder’s Green Valley Foods just across the state line in Maryland).
The community itself is one of the most interesting of all Amish settlements in my opinion – the second-oldest in the world, and only one of three started in the 1700s. It’s also unusual for its custom of worship in meetinghouses, rare for the Amish. You can see one of those below.
Additionally it’s a beautiful area, and I’ve found the people here quite friendly to boot. The community comes in at the ninth-largest in Pennsylvania, at around 1,600 Amish people. The Amish mainly live in Pennsylvania, though they have a church district or two spilling over into Garrett County, Maryland.
Peachey’s Country Store Address & Hours
If you’d like to visit Peachey’s Country Store, here’s the address:
Peachey’s Country Store…