The Amish-Run Shiloh General Store – Hamptonville, NC (Video)
Local NC station Fox8 recently did a “foodie report” on the Amish-owned Shiloh General Store, a popular destination in the Tar Heel State.
The video below includes some nice comments from brother and sister Mark and Delilah Graber, who work at the store with their parents and five other siblings.
They talk about baking sourdough bread and their most popular items, donuts, which they only make on Saturdays. “Well it’s too much work to do it everyday,” explains Mark. The donuts typically sell out in hours.
This is a New Order Amish community (one of two Amish communities in NC). Amish from those churches tend to be more permissive of the camera. Usually this settlement is referred to as Union Grove, although the store is technically closer to Hamptonville.
The report gets a detail or two wrong (this community was founded in the mid-1980s, not the late 1990s), but it’s a nice look at probably the best-known business of the state’s two Amish communities.
“We’re definitely not professionals,’ admits Delilah, “but people seem to like it anyway.”
I last visited the Union Grove settlement and Shiloh General Store in 2014. More on that trip, including another local Amish business (Wholesome Country Creamery), here.
Union Grove
This is such a neat place to visit. On a trip to Pennsylvania I stopped on the way and bought some things, one being a loaf of bread. As lunch time came I ate some of the bread and a soda pop. It was that good. On the return trip back home I stopped and got a sandwich which was also very good. A lot of canned goods, some of which came home with me.
The area is nice, quiet, just a joy to be there. Not many different things to do there; I did stop in at the furniture store. A lot of outdoor furniture, all of it nice.
Loretta sounds like you have sorted out a nice pit stop for road trips there. You are right not a ton of things there but there are at least a couple other businesses including the creamery which had and I assume still has yogurt and ice cream. There used to be another country store but it had closed on my last visit. But seems like Shiloh is big enough a draw for people to make the trek. I’ve never been to the furniture store, possible it’s gone in since I was there last. There was and maybe still is a shed/structure business as well.
Last year, Home acres furniture on Windsor Road was still going strong. We also stopped at a sheep farm that sold hydroponic tomatoes near the Creamery. Headed to Shiloh Country Store again tomorrow.
Stomach's growling--again!
Loretta, I envy your visit to this place! After seeing the video and reading your post, I am SALIVATING for both the bread and the homemade donuts {decades ago, my Mom would VERY occasionally make donuts…so much work, for sure)! And it happens to be luchtime! And if the food isn’t enough, the quiet is an added bonus!
Alice Mary
They said that people are lined up waiting outside for the donuts even before they open. Must be some donuts! This is a nice example of “knowing when to go” as far as Amish businesses and communities go.
On my recent Amish visits in Virginia, in one community there is a family who operates a variety stand but only on Friday and Saturday. Luckily I was there on the right day and picked up some fantastic oatmeal raisin cookies. Other businesses might be closed the odd day in the middle of the week, like my friends with a variety store in Halifax Co. who are closed Thursdays.
Hey Erik,
You might like this video. Amish kids speak Pennsylvania Dutch rhymes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhUPyhsnlQ8&app=desktop
Thanks Weaver, cute video!
Sounds like a nice little day trip over there from northeast TN! Will have to check it out. Thanks for sharing!
Let us know if you make it!
Yay!
I moved to western NC from Lexington, KY in late 2014…and have relatives to visit in Allentown, PA. I just found an excuse for a road trip!
Thanks for the article!
Glad you liked it Sandra!
I wondered if these folks were from Indiana when I heard the Graber name. There was a short lived New Order community in Allen County, Indiana. Not sure when most of the families who stayed with the New Order moved out. Makes me wonder if there’s a connection.
Good question Nicholas, can’t say but maybe that’s the case. The Allen County New Order church lasted until 2008. Not sure when Shiloh General Store was founded but it was there already in 2014 for sure. Graber is a common name in the Allen County Amish.
Road trip to the Ark
We’re leaving from Jacksonville nc.to go to the Ark a week from this Tuesday,want to go by there,how should we go,thanks
nice page
hi from hamburg. hi there, i liked a few movies i have watched about the amish. are there german amish?would like to meet some. bye and thanx.
donuts
I am so glad, that my Mother and Grandmothers taught me how to bake all these wonderful baked goods. We don’t have Amish stores here, so I make my own until I can travel to where they do have baked goods, made by the Amish.
Want to know more about your products
Are your flour and oatmeal pesticide free and is anything considered organic?
Tried to call but got answering machine no call back.
Thank you for your time.