HOLLAND, Ohio — A small shop in Holland is quickly transforming into a hip neighborhood hangout.
Garden Harvest has sat on Airport Highway for five years, and was originally a great place to buy local, fresh produce.
While the shop's fresh fruits and veggies aren't completely going away, the owners are taking a major shift in focus with a huge selection of craft beer that can be taken home or cracked open right there in the store.
"We started out as more of a fresh market feel and we found our customers really enjoyed the prepared foods. They're also loving the craft beer options we have and so we have decided to concentrate more on that end," Garden Harvest owner Amy Baumgartner said.
Walls are lined with unique and often rare beers. You can pick one from a six-pack to drink while you shop, and decide if you want to take the rest home. If you're not much of a beer drinker, there's a nice selection of wine which can be had in-store as well. There's no corkage fee and if you find you can't quite get through the bottle, don't worry; they will re-cork it for you to take home and finish later.
While the spirits are enough to bring you in, the real reason to stick around Garden Harvest is its one-of-a-kind menu stacked with homemade goodies. There are soups, fresh salads, pasta salads and mouth-watering sweets that are all worth a try.
But what the shop is best known for, are its insane deli sandwiches.
"We put a lot of effort into preparing dishes that are unique," Baumgartner said. "They're recipes that we develop here. We always say that 'we love food.' And so we really think that our customers enjoy that we put a lot of effort, a lot of love, a lot of heart into what we make."
Packed with 1/2 lb. of meat, the shop's creations are sure to fill the hungriest of bellies. And, if you try something you like on one of those crazy sandwiches, you can take the ingredients home with you from the deli.
Garden Harvest is seemingly set up for lunch, but can also make for an exciting evening experience. There are beer and wine tastings on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, which often include live music. Plus, now that the weather is warming up for spring, customers can hang out on the back patio and sit by the fire with a hot plate and cold drink in hand.
Garden Harvest is open seven days a week. Its hours are as follows:
- Monday‑Thursday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The shop is located at 8060 Airport Hwy. in Holland.