It's a sunny Spring day and you’re packing up your family to spend the afternoon at Linn Run State Park in Rector. It's a short, pretty drive from Ligonier, winding down Route 381 as it cuts through tree-lined fields with stately homes and grazing horses. Your plan is a picnic lunch, and someone told you about the delicious sandwiches and homemade soups that Barb’s Country Store has to offer. On the corner of Linn Run Road and 381 stands this hidden gem, which is an unassuming wood-sided place tucked into the pines with a parking lot full of cars.
You duck into the store and peruse the menu, side-glancing at the giant sandwiches that a pair of fishermen are devouring in a nearby booth. After about five minutes in the store, you also notice something else... the owners, Barb and Pat Flaherty, are greeting everyone by name, smiling, laughing, and telling stories. Pat is introducing an elderly couple to a young family while Barb is getting down on one knee to have a lively conversation with their three-year-old. Lyn gives a sweet smile and a wave as she's delivering one of those sandwiches piled high with quality Boar's Head meats and cheeses. A gentleman enters the store, and they yell out his name in a greeting that reminds you of ‘Norm!’ on the classic TV show, Cheers. You have a good feeling in this place. You can’t wait to try one of those sandwiches.
This is the experience you’ll have if you travel ‘off the beaten path’ to get to this special spot.
Barb’s is a camp store located at the foot of the Laurel Mountains near some of the area’s best hiking destinations such as Adam Falls and Beam Rocks. They provide sundries and all the necessities one might need for a day hike or a cabin stay - firewood, ice, pantry staples, fresh vegetables. Many of their items are locally sourced. Eggs are obtained from Market 1911 , a small Ligonier-based family-owned farm. Their milk is from Turner Dairy, a Pittsburgh company that prides itself on the growth-hormone-free raising of their cows, and sources from farms all over western Pennsylvania. Their bread is also from a Pittsburgh company, Breadworks, and contains no preservatives. Barb and Pat Flaharty are intentional about what they carry in their store.
Prior to opening the store in 2011, Barb and Pat attended an event that helped define their vision for their business - The Rachel Carson Birthday Celebration in Springdale, PA. Rachel Carson was the finest nature writer of the twentieth century who is credited with initiating the contemporary environmental movement with her book Silent Spring (1962). The event is a large outdoor farmers market that celebrates her life while showcasing environmental groups, local farmers and merchants. After meeting and speaking to vendors at this event, The Flahertys realized that they wanted their store to have a focus on locally sourced products and environmentally conscious businesses. This sparked turning the former convenience store (known as The Mountain Market) into Barb’s Country Store.
The store carries honey from Ligonier beekeeper Paul Bagnall and Maple Syrup from Somerset County, PA. They have a large selection of frozen grass-fed meats from Unity Township-based Friendship Farms and raw milk from Clover Creek Farms in Williamburg, PA. Their delicious Prestogeorge Coffee comes from the Strip District in Pittsburgh. They also showcase local merchants - Mrs. Oates Candles and Tarts, soaps from Windy Hill Farm Naturals, and even a selection of knitted hats, gloves, and kitchenware, a work of love by a local woman named Connie.
Barb Flaherty is a talented cook, having worked in a local Ligonier kitchen (the former Town House Restaurant) since she was very young. She was the winner of a local chili cook-off on two occasions. Her flavorful soups are full of homemade noodles. Her baked goods and refrigerated salads are simply delicious. The magic of the place comes from the human interaction you receive - a wide grin from Lyn, who has stood elbow to elbow with Barb in the kitchen for several years. Pat always has a story to tell, many with historical significance, and plenty with a punchline. And Barb’s warmth and easy laugh gives comfort food a whole new meaning.
Here, it's the total experience of the place that leaves an impression. At Barb’s Country Store, everybody knows your name.
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