A
midst the constant chaos of cars zipping up
and down Route 30 sits a quaint, cozy shop
specializing in a much simpler way of life.
Owned and operated by James
Cunningham and his fiancée April Bartley,
Amish Deli & Donuts opened for business
in its current spot on Route 30 in the spring of 2017, after
moving from its original location near the intersection of
Routes 30 and 48 in North Versailles. The store specializes
in a variety of authentic Amish baked goods, meats,
cheeses and more, imported directly from Amish families
throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The idea for the store sprung from the couple’s extensive
appreciation for the Amish way of life. As frequent visitors
to Amish communities, they began to consider opening a
store after talking with Amish families. It was a change of
pace for Cunningham, who had previously owned several
tire businesses in the area.
“Our interest in the Amish way of life goes back at
least 19 years. In fact, our first formal date was a trip to
Lancaster,” says Cunningham, 40, with a laugh.
One Lancaster family he and Bartley befriended
invited them to attend a “m ud sale,” which is an annual
auction held by an Amish community to benefit a local
fire department. After that experience, the couple decided
to open a store specializing in Amish crafts and
woodworking, but the idea quickly evolved.
“We became friends with Amish families who sold
flour, corn and baked goods, and milk and ice cream,”
says Cunningham. “Everything just quickly fell into
place.”
The store is locally famous for its hot donuts, made
on-site in the parking lot during the summer months
by Amish bakers. The couple maintains a partnership
with a New Wilmington family who travels to North
Huntingdon on Saturdays between May and July.
Cunningham and Bartley also learned how to make
the colossal donuts, which are available inside the store
throughout the week.
“We’ve established great relationships with Amish
families,” says Cunningham. “We’re not members of
the community, but we’re not outsiders, either. It’s nice
being able to go somewhere and forget about politics or
crime, and just focus on normal topics, like how many
potatoes we boiled that day. It’s a completely different
environment.”
The couple is committed to selling authentic Amish
products. Every Monday, they travel to different Amish
communities to restock supplies for the week. They
purchase their milk and ice cream from Somerset;
Continued on next page
“We’ve established
great relationships
with Amish families.”
Norwin | Winter 2017 | icmags.com 11