We Love Our Local Businesses

We always like to support our local businesses but it was brought to our attention through a news segment that a restaurant near us is in dire need of the community’s support in order to stay in business. We decided this week we would support all of our local businesses that we could, from eating out to shopping and entertainment. Don has been on vacation this week (we don’t normally eat out every day!) so we have gone for lots of Jeep rides and have done a few things that are a little out of the ordinary for us.

We started the week at a place right down the street from us. The Post Office Pub is in a building that used to be our Post Office and was built back in 1950. Shortly after we moved here, there was some sort of issue and the Post Office closed. A group of creative folks bought the building and turned it into a quaint local hangout. The decor, inside and out, pays tribute to its origin, as does the menu. We enjoyed sitting on the back deck eating Postage Chicken Wraps with their very own special Postage Sauce.

On Monday, the restaurants we wanted to eat at were closed, so instead we grilled at home with the most delicious meat and hot dogs from our favorite butcher shop. Badurik’s is owned by one of the nicest guys there ever was, Steve Badurik. He has excellent meats and other food, and the customer service there is beyond anything you’ve ever seen. We are treated like family, not customers. Badurik’s is a staple in our house and we don’t go more than a couple days without stopping by for something delicious.

We ventured over to Guilford Lake on Tuesday and ate at Mark’s Landing, a delightful, lakeside restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and delicious food. It is hard to decide what to order, but you can’t go wrong. Everything on the menu is the perfect choice and guaranteed to please. If you’re feeling adventurous, they even have pontoon boats to rent. We’ve done this a few times and have always had a lot of fun.

Wednesday we had a late lunch at The Manor – the restaurant we saw featured on the news. We hope they get enough support to stay open because this place is fantastic. This family friendly restaurant with a pet friendly patio has been around for decades. Our server was very friendly, the atmosphere was 70’s cool and our food was really tasty. Kudos to our local news, WFMJ- Youngstown, for featuring The Manor and helping to bring in business.

Thursday was a big day! We started with breakfast at The Amish Market which features a bakery, furniture and everything you can think of. Our omelets might be the best we have ever eaten, and the simple Amish atmosphere was a great way to start the day.

After we ate, we picked up our grandson for his special birthday fun day. The kids can choose to get presents or spend the day doing fun things with us. Or, in this case, a little bit of both. We went bike shopping and then Lincoln wanted to ride go carts. Sports World is a locally owned family fun center with go carts, putt putt golf, batting cages and an arcade. The go carts are fast, the arcade has lots of fun games and the putt putt course has a pirate theme.

Last night, we met Don’s parents and Uncle Tom at Mastropietro Winery to listen to live music and enjoy a beautiful evening. The Mastropietro family opened the first winery in our county in 2005 and have grown their business to include live music, good food and great wine. They have special events throughout the summer including a hot air balloon festival and a car show.

We finished our Local Business Week at Castaway Craig’s, enjoying our lunch near the lake. Castaway Craig’s has been one of our favorite places to go for years, and we love the Caribbean atmosphere and friendly service. Their menu features Cuban fare, but we almost always choose the buffalo chicken wrap and homemade chips. They have live music every weekend and have recently upgraded their outdoor space.

We hope this post has encouraged you to support your local businesses. Please drop a comment giving your favorites a shout out!