Today I’m joining Thursday Doors, hosted by Norm Frampton, so that I can share with you the following door photos + a few more photos taken at Lehman’s in Kidron, OH.
Lehman’s, originally a small hardware store in Ohio’s Amish country, is now a 35,000 square foot retail store [plus online company]. According to the store’s website, “the full shopping experience is nearly a quarter mile long!”
I believe it. We had lunch, then wandered around the store for over an hour, purchasing gardening tools– and sustenance for the road in the form of fudge.
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DOORS to the east entrance into the store.
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South end of a north bound water wagon, sans horses to pull it.
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DOOR [faux] painted on side of building.
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A large well-kept farm as seen while driving to Kidron, OH, in northeast Ohio.
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Painting of cow, that has nothing to do with doors, as seen on side of building. *moo*
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Grinding stone that at one time would have had a practical purpose, now part of a pretty flower garden.
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DOORS [faux] painted on side of building.
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Ah, the simple life – tourist style.
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So true, Zen-Den. It was one of the most pleasant touristy experiences we’ve had.
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I like the introduction of faux doors. They break up a long bare wall and end up being pretty murals in their own right.
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Joanne, the faux doors made me smile. It was a brilliant way to use the space, and they were so clever that I HAD TO include them here.
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It’s interesting that I should read this post today, because a friend had just told me about a garden tour he had been on and the last property he visited had used faux doors as part of their design. It was a very large property with a massive fence around it. The back wall had several faux doors and windows included on it. Apparently it gave the impression of a small village at the back of the property. I loved the sound of it.
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That sounds like a good way to turn something dull into a feature. Especially in a garden where anything goes, if done well. I’ve been intrigued with faux wall art since seeing some of it in [of all places] Vegas. I’d like to see a faux door in a garden. I could groove on that.
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hmmmm – faux doors wouldn’t work in my yard, but faux windows definitely would. The seed has been planted!
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Excellent. Photos please when it happens.
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But of course!
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Those paintings are awesome and such a nice feature.
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Allie, everything in this store was about one theme– farms. It was delightful.
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Loved to see the farm animals peering out even if it was only a painting!
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Kate, I know. The outside of this building was hilarious and made the huge place look inviting.
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It looks so lovely and those murals are delightful.
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Jean, it was an out-of-the way place to visit, but worth the drive there… if only for the opportunity to see that cow mural.
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It’s always fun to visit small-town country stores.
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Jill, I agree. I’d go back to visit should we be near there again. It was wholesome fun, I tell ‘ya.
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Awesome pics! I love the grinding stone.
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bnzoot, I thought the grinding stone as garden feature was inspired. Rustic + trendy all at once.
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Farm life seems so bucolic, and belies all the hard work it requires. But it strikes me as a very authentic way to live. That farm scene looked almost too perfect to be a photograph!
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Eilene, I think that you’re right. Farm life is difficult and uncertain, but authentic in the way it tests your mettle, I’m sure. It’s not for me, but I admire those who can do it. I do, however, like taking pics of farms…
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That looks like a terrific fudge emporium! As long as it wasn’t faux fudge. 😀
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nancy, the fudge was as real and calorie-filled as it could be. Delicious.
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Amish farms and stores are the best! I miss living in Tennessee and driving 8 miles to the Kentucky border to an Amish bakery that sold the best pies, cakes, cookies,and bread. Your trip looks so relaxing just visiting the beautiful countryside. The store looks very inviting, and I especially love the faux door paintings of the farm animals! Right up my alley!
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Beth, we stumbled on this place while wandering the backroads of Ohio. I’d never heard of it and It wasn’t on our itinerary for the day, but once we saw it we knew we had to go inside. Plus it was lunchtime and if there’s anything to be said for the Amish, they know food. Thought you’d like the faux doors. 😉
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I love those touristy stops on a road trip. It looks like the perfect place to wander around and buy fudge (isn’t it great that calories consumed on the road don’t count?). Great doors!
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Janis, this was the ultimate road trip find. We didn’t know about it, but saw it as we were driving though Kidron and said: “let’s stop.” I didn’t know that road trip calories didn’t count, but if you say so, I believe you.
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Sounds like a fun visit Ally. I do like a dose of Amish comfort food, and fudge seems to me to be the best traveling snack. Your faux doors are a most amusing entry for Thursday Doors. And the paintings-as-doors reminded me I have my own kind of opposite version of a faux door – the center panel of a reclaimed door that’s been painted with a lovely golden tree and I keep propped up as my imaginary gateway into an indoor garden.
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Deborah, I couldn’t resist the fudge… or taking pics of the faux doors for this challenge. Please Note: there is one photo of real doors, so I’ve done what Norm wants. Plus a little more.
I think your your golden tree door sounds wonderful. It’s clever of you to think of it in the way that you do. I’d find a door like most comforting in the dead of winter when all is gray and bleak.
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Sounds like a great place to visit….. unless you’re Wile E. Coyote. He’s knock himself out cold trying to run through all those painted doors…
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Excellent point, evil. And now that you mention it these painted doors had a certain cartoon look to them. Wile E. Coyote, when he was being calm, would fit right in.
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I love farms. I love the faux doors, too. 🙂 Looks like a fun day!
MOOOOOOOOOOO!
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Tara, this was a fun place to visit. I’d never heard of it before we saw it, but now that I know where it is we might go back… some day… for another piece of fudge!
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Mmmmmm. Fudge……
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😋
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I like the idea of false doors!
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I. J. Khanewala, I agree. The faux doors were a nice touch on what otherwise would have been a big intimidating building.
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We don’t see many farms like that out here in California. I really think some day the hubs and I are going to have to take some kind of trip through the other part of the country so I can see sights such as this. He was in Wisconsin for a time, when he lived with his aunt and uncle on a farm for 3 years of high school so he knows but this city/suburb girl is clueless. I love the painted doors, but the real ones are cool too.
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Janet, once you get out of urban/suburban areas in Ohio, there are farms where the land is cleared and fertile. Some farms are complete dumps, but many, like the one in the photo, are pristine and perfect to look at. Especially so in the Amish part of the state where people drive horse and buggies, wear traditional conservative clothes– and take pride in their unique lifestyle. Wisconsin is the same way, but maybe without the Amish?
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It looks like fairy tale farms. What cool thing to stumble across. (Would hate to try and move that grinding stone…or have it topple on my foot. Looks perfect there)
The barn’s paintings are so whimsical – and so well done.
Some of the younger generation of Amish families started moving a bit north of Houston back in the ’80’s because there was more affordable land here. The have large barn raising. Always industrious workers and very neat farms.
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philmouse, the outside of this store looked part fairy tale and part Hollywood set. All of it was perfectly tidy and inviting, especially after having driven through miles of Amish farmlands, accurately described by you as “neat.” It was an accident that we ended up at this store, but some days you gotta go where the road takes ‘ya. In this case, to faux doors.
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When I read the title, I thought, “Hmm. I’ve been to Amish country in Ohio. Maybe I’ll recognize the store.” And, Yes! Lehman’s in Kidron! Been there many times with my parents. Last visit years ago we went again with my children, who got to see it for the first time. We also wandered through the animal pens before the auction. Good times! My parents are almost regulars, or they would be if it were a closer drive.
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Betsy, you’ve been to Kidron? But of course you have! Lehman’s was an accidental find for us. We were driving backroads through Ohio, meandering our way south through the state when I we saw the store. It was around lunchtime and I was sure that there’d be something good to eat in the store, so in we went. What a fun place– with so much merchandise and lovely sales clerks. I’d like to go back sometime, maybe in the winter to see what they have for sale then.
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Oh yeah. Childhood memories. It’s great country. Nice people for sure.
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And dare I mention, delicious fudge!
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I can’t say I remember the fudge. Clearly I need to go back.
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Wow – that is an amazing well-kept farm. Almost seems unreal.
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Jan, I know what you mean, it does almost seem unreal. There were many more farms just as pristine along the way. It was a great drive on a straight road that seemed to go to nowhere, until we got to Kidron. A fun adventure.
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That’s a beautiful and interesting looking place. And any establishment with fudge gets an A+!
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Margaret, exactly. We didn’t go there for the fudge, but should we ever get back that way it’ll be the fudge that draws us in. Priorities, you know!
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Your capture of the farm – soo cute – I could see this on a calendar of farms! And fudge …. sustenance?? Am laughing, because chocolate is one of my weaknesses – wouldn’t a sandwich,or fruit sustain you MORE (lol!) ?
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jesh, thank you. That photo does look calendar-worthy now that you mention it. The fudge was tasty and quite a treat. Considering we had a healthy lunch before we ate it, I refuse to feel guilty about eating it. 😉
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I love those fun faux doors. There’s some seriously beautiful farm country in that part of the world.
I’m sure I could spend a bundle on toys for the garden there if I ever visit this place.
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Norm, the faux doors were a surprise. I saw the real doors as we walked up to the store, then only after we walked out of the store did I realize there were faux doors. The garden department was amazing in Lehman’s. We restrained ourselves, but enjoyed poking around in it.
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We have bought a bunch of stuff from Lehman’s, it’s good to see the store. I like the painted doors, especially with the animals. Someone has a sense of style.
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Dan, I’d never heard of this store until we drove by it on our way from one end of the state to the other. And you know of it! [So did another commenter.]
It was a fun place to visit and the whole store was stylish in a Farmer Is Practical Way. The faux doors were especially neat-o. Had to snap a few pics of them.
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Fabulous doors post, Ally Bean. I feel right at home here for some reason 😉
LOVE the faux doors with mini murals!
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joey, not much difference between Ohio farms and Indiana farms is there? The faux doors made this store memorable… or maybe it was the fudge. 🤔
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Fudge for the win! 😀
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I love Lehman’s, Ally, and try to go there each time I visit my son in Cuyahoga Falls. A tad pricey, but the outlet store in back is a gold mine. But you know, after all the times I’ve been there I have never noticed the faux doors. Next time I must pay better attention.
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Janet, you’ve been there, too! I’d never heard of this place until a few weeks ago– and now I find out that three of my readers have been there. How wacky is that?
I agree that it was a tad pricey, but it was such fun to shop in the store that I overlooked the prices. I think there must be more than one entrance so maybe you parked on the side of the building where there were no faux doors. A reasonable explanation for how you missed them…
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It looks lovely, Ally, and you got some beautiful shots.
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Thanks, Christie. I photograph the doors where I find ’em!
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Love your touristy, nostalgic post here. If you put Oregon Dairy on the stores, barn and other doors, I’d believe you’re close to Lititz in Lancaster County, PA.
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Marian, this store was a delight. Touristy, but with practical merchandise and delicious food. We stumbled upon the store while wandering the backroads, which made the whole experience more fun, I do believe.
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Doors that lead to fudge are always good ones, but then you upped the ante with the gorgeous murals. 🙂
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Judy, the faux doors were about as cute as can be and in keeping with the theme of this store– and this blog challenge, for that matter.
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I occasionally buy items from Lehman’s and it’s fun to see what the store looks like. They are a wonderful source of old-time kitchen equipment and gadgets.
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Sheryl, you said it. While we were there at the store I bought a round metal rack that goes inside a round roaster. The rack that came with the roaster had worn out, but Lehman’s had the exact size I needed. I was tickled to find it, truth be told.
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Looks just like Central PA’s Amish Country!
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pjlazos, no kidding? This was an interesting area to drive through and the store was something from another era. Fun all around.
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Yeah, if you don’t use electricity or modern conveniences, time stands still.🤓
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Good point.
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I love all the faux doors. Was the fudge good? 😀
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Elen, the fudge was delicious, not too sweet, not at all grainy. Just right.
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