P. Graham Dunn

700 Reasons to watch TV this December...

2009-07-14T11:17:00.002-04:00

Recently P. Graham Dunn was visited by a film crew from a nationally televised program. The 700 Club is doing a piece on P. Graham Dunn and is set to air in late December.

Last year, the 700 Club did a piece on a local gentleman in Wooster, Oh. Steve Crisafulli and his wife, Nancy have been good customers of ours and they suggested the crew stop by P. Graham Dunn before heading back east. The producer of the show was impressed with what she saw and decided to do a piece on P. Graham Dunn. The crew stopped out in late June and considering the airing date, we added a touch of Christmas to the set. After about 9 hours of filming, the crew got what they needed for a 5 to 6 minute story. Amazing what goes into even a simple production! We are excited to see it this December.

For more information about the 700 Club, click here.

A Day in (the Best of Ohio's) Amish Country

2009-06-03T12:19:00.006-04:00

A Day in (the Best of Ohio's) Amish Country

By Allison Ervin, writer, age 10

So you're in Amish country, looking for something fun to do. Here are some of the great things that I enjoyed when I visited Wayne and Holmes County recently. A good way to start your day in Amish country is by visiting the store Lehman's, in Kidron. There's lots of unique and fun things you can buy there that are sure to brighten up any day. If you are a child, or have children with you, there's a huge toy selection and there are toys you can play with. Lots of their products are non-electric and eco-friendly like their wood burning stoves. The store is very big, which means there is a lot you can look at. You will see many things you thought weren't made any more.

After you leave Lehman's, head up the road to the store P. Graham Dunn in Dalton, where they make inspirational wood carvings, which are very detailed and beautiful. You can even watch the magnificent items being made with lasers.You can make a homemade puzzle by coloring on a piece of wood, then putting it into a machine where a laser carves it into puzzle pieces. When you walk into their store they have a magnificent lobby with beautiful furniture, and a floor to ceiling mural drawn by a local artist.

As you are walking out of P. Graham Dunn, you realize you are kind of hungry. As you're driving, you see a sign that says Amish Door Restaurant, one mile ahead. So you stop in for some lunch. The fantastic restaurant was awarded the best chicken in the country award. Their food is homemade by the Amish -- such as mashed potatoes, corn, bread and drumsticks. They also have pies, cakes, cookies and other pastries. I even got a free cookie. I ate lunch at the Amish Door in Wooster, but there is also an Amish Door Restaurant and Inn in Wilmot. As you're walking out, you notice the gift shop, so you can stop in and look at the wonderful things like the wallets, quilts and pencils.

The next stop on your day in Amish country is Homestead Furniture in Mt. Hope to purchase some of the beautiful furniture they have there. When I was there recently, a lovely v-shaped couch caught my eye. The store is very eco-friendly because instead of a normal heater, they have a solar-powered heater. To go upstairs there is a larger, curvy staircase that you walk up. They have children's furniture, too, such as a pink girl's bed and a crib. If you see a piece of furniture you like, you can customize it and Homestead will build it for you. They get the trees to make their wooden furniture from close-by states.

After you leave Homestead, you take a trip to Coblentz Chocolates in Walnut Creek, where they make delicious chocolates. Some of the chocolates are very fun shapes, such as golf clubs, motorcycles, or even trains. A lot of them have fun fillings such as fruit or caramel or nuts. There was a little house inside of the store for the young children's entertainment. Coblentz doesn't just have chocolate, they also have wind chimes and stuffed animals. When you walk in a yummy aroma of chocolate and other candies fills the store.

About a minute away is Walnut Creek Cheese, where tasty cheese and meats are sold. A lot of the food there is locally made. We were planning to just buy a little, but when I saw all the delectable choices they had, I couldn't help but buy a lot. Above, on a large shelf, they have decorations set up to look like a market from the olden days. They also have a huge selection of candy and a room designed like a cave filled with cheese. They carry a lot of bulk food and a lot of people buy food from here for parties, like graduations, weddings and other type of events.

The last stop was Keim Lumber in Charm (cute name, huh?). If you're building or adding on to your home, Keim Lumber is the place to be. They have a really big, fancy new room where they can show you their kitchen and bathrooms. I've never seen so much pretty wood. They are the experts in building so they can help you decide what looks nice.

Now your day in Amish country has come to an end. But it certainly was the best day ever! :)

You know you're in Amish Country when...

You have to slow down because you are following a horse and buggy

Clothes are flapping in the breeze on the clothesline

There are silos and barns and white fences in the fields

Cows and horses are grazing in the pasture

Girls in white coverings and light pink or green dresses walk down the road to the neighbor's house

The parking lot at the baseball game is filled with bicycles, not cars

You see a sign that says "eggs for sale -- no Sunday sales" at the end of the driveway

The people are friendly, the food is good and the roads are hilly

New Promo Video of the P. Graham Dunn Factory Store

2009-05-29T10:24:00.003-04:00

Ambassador Harry

2009-05-22T11:08:00.003-04:00

If you have visited our factory and store in Dalton, Ohio chances are you've run into a gentleman named Harry. If you were to ask me to identify the heart of this company, I could make a very strong case that it's Harry. Harry has been with us for nearly 8 years and has performed in a variety of roles. As of the last few years, Harry has been acting ambassador for P. Graham Dunn. Stop in with a group large or small and Harry will walk you around the shop and tell you all about the place. I can't tell you how many people stop in on a daily basis and ask for Harry by name. It takes a special guy to make such a memorable impact.

P. Graham Dunn talks about the origins of Graham

2009-05-21T12:25:00.005-04:00

Click the image to view Peter's vlog about the origins of his middle name.

Made in the USA

2009-05-20T16:34:00.005-04:00

I remember a time in which there was a great push to buy American. It seemed like every TV station in the nineteen eighties aired commercials about checking the tag for the Made in America logo. Since then it seems we get nearly everything from overseas. Without treading too far into the debate about the pros and cons of a global economy, I think it is important to focus attention back on those businesses creating products and jobs right here in the USA.

At P. Graham Dunn we employ nearly 100 people. Many of our staff are hard working Amish and Mennonites, though we employ people from nearly every walk of life. When you visit our factory, you will never see someone leaning on a broom, or the shop floor in disarray. We take pride in our jobs and we take pride in the products we make. The 5% of products we do import are laser engraved and packaged in Ohio. The packaging is often done at home by local Amish women. When I walk through the factory it makes me proud to call this community home.

Traveling around this area of the country you'll find domestically made products at places like Homestead Furniture, Lehman's Hardware, Walnut Creek Cheese, and Coblentz Chocolate. Smuckers is headquartered just down the road, and the Cat's Meow just a little further. We have over 1000 shops manufacturing Amish made furniture, and the hills are covered in 100 acre farms making the landscape look more like a quilt. Speaking of quilts, you'll find none better made than right here, and while you're here pick up various food products like Amish Peanut Butter, Eggs, Pastries, Pickled Garlic, Trail Bologna, Bulk Foods, and the world's best cheese (sorry Wisconsin). Stuff it all in a homemade Amish basket.

Whatever you find around here, it's a good chance it was made by the very hands of the person you're purchasing it from. And while you may find some nice prices, you won't get that at Wal-Mart.

Peter Dunn Vlogs About the Factory Store

2009-05-15T11:46:00.003-04:00

Runaway Pony

2009-05-14T22:00:00.003-04:00

First let me say this is not the horse in question, though he looked similar. This evening I headed in towards Kidron, OH on my way to church league softball practice. My favorite route takes me up, down, and around these curvy two lane roads. I pass by countless small Amish farms and see lots of buggies. What I saw today was a little out of the ordinary. As I crested a hill I see this miniature pony running in my direction down the center of the road. Moments later I notice a couple of kids about a mile further running after him. I did a most English thing (English is what all us non-Amish are), I blocked the road with my car, waved my arms out the window and spooked the pony back in the other direction. Following behind the pony I kept pushing him towards the kids until about 20 feet from capture, the pony jumps a ditch and tears across a field! The kids laughed, waved and headed off after the freedom craving miniature pony. After softball practice about an hour later I am driving the same road home. Those poor kids, walking along the road and looking a little less enthusiastic, continued to chase down this stubborn pony. Just another day in Amish country...

An Unlikely Family

2009-05-14T09:23:00.003-04:00

Every day when coming to work, or leaving to go home I always slow down or pull over to check in on the newest members of the family. Our facility uses a retention pond to collect rainwater and we have deliberately begun to plant native plants to Ohio around the perimeter. It's surprising that before any of our efforts have really taken root, we already host about a dozen Canadian Geese, two species of ducks, and a variety to mosquito eating, dive bombing birds! Early this spring a mating pair of Canadian Geese gave birth to 4 little goslings. They started as 4 little puffs of yellow and are now displaying that characteristic Canadian Goose color. When the weather is sour, the mother covers them with her wings and her mate is always nearby. Interestingly, about 3 weeks ago this white goose decided to adopt the whole family as his own. After some early feathery fights, this unlikely family is now inseparable.

New Website

2009-05-12T20:08:00.002-04:00

If you're stopping by the blog via our website, you've probably noticed something a little different. Last week we unveiled our new website. Some of the new features include more organized categories, full screen images on the product detail page, greater detail in copy and description, customer reviews, and much more. Take a cruise around. While we still have a few glitches and unfinished pieces, I think you'll agree it was an improvement on the last design. Enjoy!

Please save Kidron, Jack Bauer!

2009-02-12T10:55:00.003-05:00

Little did we know that in the quaint town of Kidron, OH just 3 miles away there was a disaster about to happen. No I am not talking about an Amish traffic jam during a Thursday auction, or that Lehman's had to close early due to a snow storm. No this disaster was much more sinister. It seems the terrorists in Fox's hit show 24 had targeted our quiet community for destruction. While the facts are a little mixed up (and this happens during disasterous events like this) it seems the show may have slightly exaggerated the population of Kidron by 29,000 or so, and while I couldn't find a chemical plant north of town, there is a Gerber Poultry plant just south of town. Their chicken is so good, it's no wonder the terrorists would target it.

It's been a lot of fun seeing our little community in the spotlight. I have a few links below you are welcome to click on for more about this unique story.

The Daily Record
New York Entertainment
Akron Beacon Journal

Happy Birthday Abe!

2009-02-12T10:39:00.003-05:00

As a way to draw attention to one of the most influential leaders in American history, Eric Ebinger will run across the state of Ohio to commemorate Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. Beginning on Feb 12, 2009 (today) Eric will run the equivalent of 2 marathons a day to complete his journey on Feb 16. The course will be along the aptly named Lincoln Highway. This highway was the first to cross the United States and happens to run directly by P. Graham Dunn in Dalton, OH. You can read more about the Lincoln Highway here. Or click here for the Times Bulletin article about Eric.

On behalf of the staff at P. Graham Dunn, we wish Eric godspeed on his journey across the state.

Oversized Custom Doorkeeper

2009-01-05T11:06:00.004-05:00

One of the more enjoyable aspects to my job here at P. Graham Dunn is to see all the custom projects that go through our shop. About 3 months ago, a customer of ours had us make a doorkeeper about 4 times the size of our stock product. It was such a simple adjustment to our regular item, yet we had a lot of comments about that piece as it went through production. Paul Dunn, my brother-in-law and head of our design department, decided to make a few extra to put in our Factory Outlet room in Dalton. Since then, all of the extra doorkeepers have sold, and at least two more customers stopped in to get their own over sized doorkeeper with a custom design. I have posted a couple of pics of one of those doorkeepers that can be found at the Seville United Methodist Church in Ohio.

View Larger Map

A little piece of our history.

2008-12-08T11:06:00.001-05:00

These were taken at language school in Anking, 1933-34 where Peter Dunn's father is second from the right. Also a newspaper clipping with a young Peter Dunn. Peter always says a Shoemaker sticks to his last, which means if your good at something then stay at it, work at it to make it great. Now we know where he got this...

Dalton Holidays Festival

2008-12-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

Living up to its reputation as the coldest parade in the US, the Dalton Holidays Festival kicked off in winter fashion as snow fell all day long. Here are some candid photos of the P. Graham Dunn group getting ready to partake in the parade.

Mural

2008-11-03T16:30:00.002-05:00

Each day for over the last two months, we employees at P. Graham Dunn have been watching a local artist paint one of NE Ohio's largest indoor murals. Recently the Wooster Daily Record stopped out to see what all the fuss was about. Their article is linked here:

Daily Record Mural Article

It's fun to see the reaction on the faces of our guests as they enter the lobby. From the outside our building looks rather plain, but it is a whole different world on the inside. The mural is just one of the latest additions. Visitors today will see the store decorated for Christmas inside and out. But to describe the lobby now would spoil the fun of seeing those faces!

Best in Show

2008-09-11T09:00:00.005-04:00

P. Graham Dunn grabbed the trophy for the best booth at the 2008 Wayne County Fair. The booth had the look and feel of a good ol' Ohio autumn, and featured a laser engraving machine for personalized gifts. Lot's of people came by to see the laser in action, often picking up a personalized gift. P. Graham Dunn will be operating its booth under the Grandstand until the fair concludes on Thursday 9-12-08.

The Wayne County Fair started in 1862 and has been the area's #1 family friendly event for nearly 150 years! This year more people than ever have come out to get a taste of what Wayne County is all about. If you would like more information about the fair or Wayne County, just click the links below.

Wayne County Fair
Wayne County CVB
The Daily Record

How Great Thou Art

2008-08-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday, July 12, we had a very wonderful and inspirational experience at our Dalton Gallery. Eight young men were in the lobby obviously very inspired with the beauty of it all. I talked to one of them and he asked me if anyone had ever sung there before. I told him it had happened a few time both here and at our old place. He asked if it would be ok if they sang and of course I said yes, thinking they would probably just sing from the two large engraved hymn plaques we have on the wall.

Well little did I know they were friends from Harrisonburg, VA and actually were two gospel quartets that had been performing in the area and were spending the day together touring the beautiful Amish country of Wayne and Holmes counties. They had heard of us and stopped to see what we were all about.

A few moments later the most beautiful acapella four part harmony of How Great Thou Art was coming from the front lobby. All eight were standing on the landing five steps below the Gallery floor singing. Then they sang another song, they were encouraged by the large group of customers that had by that time gathered at the upper railing and in the lobby below. They sang for the better part of an hour songs that inspired them personally and requests from the crowd. Needless to say if was a very inspired and spiritually moving experience for all

Harry Wilkins.

Customer Appreciation Sale

2008-07-25T17:13:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again when P. Graham Dunn plays host to their Customer Appreciation Sale. Stop by Wed July 30 - Aug 2 at our Dalton factory and store or Walnut Creek shop for store wide specials. In addition, we will be serving free hotdogs and lemonade from 10a to 3p each day. For more information, call 866-922-0306.

Construction Underway at PGD Crocker Park!

2008-05-29T17:03:00.006-04:00

We're pleased to announce P. Graham Dunn's sixth location at Crocker Park of Westlake, Ohio. We will be opening our doors on June 6, 2008. Crocker Park will be P. Graham Dunn's first location that will be located in a mixed-use lifestyle center, which begins an exciting new venture for our retail division. Like all other P. Graham Dunn locations, the new Crocker Park store will feature a personalized laser center. We are excited to develop a relationship with Crocker Park and the surrounding community! The store will be under the leadership of Traci Garner and Nicole Brockmann. P. Graham Dunn will host a Grand Opening during Crocker Park's Liberty Fest on July 4th through 6th.Below are a series of photos detailing the beginning of the renovation. We hope that if you're in the area that you will stop by and visit our newest branch! For more company information please contact Jean Boen, Retail Operations Manager, or Emily Fielitz, Visual Merchandiser, at 1-800-8282-5260.

Taking initial measurements for construction

Proof that Peter Dunn still knows how to "get his hands dirty"

Visual Merchandiser, Emily Feilitz hanging the paper in the windows

Best of Wayne County

2008-05-17T15:10:00.002-04:00

P. Graham Dunn was happy to contribute to the Best of Wayne County campaign by engraving all the plaques for the winners. In the photo below, Christmas Run Park in Wooster was chosen as the best place to spend the day with your family.

Daily Record

2008-05-01T09:44:00.003-04:00

P. Graham Dunn was featured in the Wednesday, April 30 edition of the Daily Record in Wayne County, OH. Celebrating the Grand Opening of the Dalton factory and store, the insert has a number of stories about the past and future of P. Graham Dunn. Click on the images below to see more detail.

Building Dedication

2008-04-23T15:53:00.003-04:00

If you didn't get a chance to stop by for our building dedication, Peter Heath of Amish Country TV was there to capture the excitement. Just click the video below.

Kidron Elementary 3rd Grade Tour

2008-04-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

Karen Geiser, 3rd grade teacher at Kidron Elementary brought her students over for a tour of P. Graham Dunn. The class is part of the Junior Achievement program in which the students lead by Glenda Ervin-Lehman of Lehman's Hardware dream up a fictitious business and learn about all the details that go into it. Each year P. Graham Dunn contributes by engraving a custom magnet based on the design the kids made, and provide a tour of a working business. We’re already looking forward to next year when Kidron and Dalton city schools merge and the class gets bigger! It’s always a fun tour.

Canaan in the Desert

2008-02-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago an enthusiastic customer by the name of Pete Allenbach stopped into our Dalton, OH gallery and shared with me a story about how P. Graham Dunn has had an influence on him and his family. He told of when a friend brought him to our store for the first time, and he had been awed by our inspirational products. He was so impressed that he purchased a plaque that he sent to his sister Georjean who lives in Phoenix, AZ.

He wanted to share this with me because his sister is a member of the Evangelical Protestant Sisterhood of Mary. The “Our Daily Bread” plaque that he sent as a gift to the convent has become a favorite decoration in their dining room. I have recently corresponded with Sister Georjean and she has shared more with me about their convent’s history:

“We are Evangelical Protestant Sisterhood, founded in Germany in 1947, just after WWII by Basilea Schlink. Our motherhouse is in Darmstadt Germany, and we are the only branch in America. We have branches in Israel, Japan, Korea, Canada, Brazil, Paraguay England and Australia.... [Our local branch] Canaan in the Desert, here in Phoenix was started in 1967. I have been here since 1984.”

Their ministry hosts a visitor center, and distributes literature and DVD messages; their goal is to “encourage reconciliation, repentance and first love for the Lord Jesus.” They also do a lot of work with military and prison chaplains. Visit their website for more information: www.canaaninthedesert.org

One picture is of their facility in Phoenix; the other features members of the order in front of the P. Graham Dunn plaque in their dining room (Sister Georjean, with her mother in front of her, Sister Pinea and Sister Romelle).

Amanda Wolfe – Assistant Manager, P. Graham Dunn in Dalton.