Friendly Meadows Country Store thriving and growing
Store: Friendly Meadows Country Store offers quality products and service and good prices to its customers. It also is a convenient place for those who live in-between Coshocton and Mount Vernon to stop for groceries. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
WALHONDING – Don and Ruth Ann Mason were happy to see Friendly Meadows Country Store expand.
“It’s very nicely arranged and has a lot of variety,” Ruth Ann said. “The prices also are good.”
The Masons live in Warsaw, but have found the store just inside the Knox County line to be very convenient.
“We’ve been shopping there three or four years,” Ruth Ann said. “It’s really improved. There is more parking and it’s easier to find. It’s a nice little store out in the middle of nowhere.”
Friendly Meadows Country Store is located at 30341 A Coshocton Road and is about 18 miles from Coshocton and 15 from Mount Vernon. It opened in 2008 as a way to help a family member.
“We were in an 11 x 18 building,” said Roy Mast, manager. “My cousin does wholesale baking for orchards throughout the area. People would call in the fall and want to get his products so we opened to give him a place to sell them. We soon moved into a bigger building and have now been in here (our third building) for about three weeks.”
The new building has enabled them to offer more products such as gift items, new sandwiches and deli products, additional cooler and freezer space and lawn furniture that is displayed outside on the porch. The store also offers a sewing machine repair service and plans to get more bulk food.
“We are still looking to add more and plan to do so in a couple of weeks and in the following year,” Mast said.
The store also has a bulletin board packed with information about the area and is a great place to catch up with friends and family.
“It’s a nice place to see people you haven’t seen for a while,” said Ivan Mast, Roy’s father.
That friendly environment helps the store thrive.
“I asked one of our salesmen why he thought we were growing when big grocery stores have closed over the years and he said it was our environment,” Ivan said. “When people walk in here, Roy calls them by name. They talk and socialize and that makes a difference.”
People are invited to experience the fresh products and quality service at Friendly Meadows Country Store during its grand opening from 8 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 and 8 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
“There will be lots of samples and free coffee, cookies and mini ice cream cones,” Roy said.
He also is in the process of planning the store’s fifth annual customer appreciation event, which will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11. The highlight of that event is the baked beans and cornbread cooked over an open fire starting at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 11.
“We look forward to it and our customers always ask about it,” Roy said.
Friendly Meadows Country Store has five employees and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sundays.
“We have good competitive prices, but we also want to be a witness to Jesus and be honest and courteous,” Roy said.
Editor’s note: The Beacon would like to feature small, local grocery stores once a month. If you have an idea for this feature, please e-mail josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com or call 622-4237.
Category: Business
