Orrville is usually known for two things: it's the home of the J.M. Smucker Company, and it's also the home of legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight.
But, Orrville is also home to three great businesses I think you'll enjoy learning more about and visiting soon:
Audrey's Attic, a unique gift and home-accessory establishment;
PackShip USA, which offers an outstanding way to get your large or small purchases shipped anywhere; and
Bunker Hill Furniture, which offers specialty home furnishings and maintenance-free outdoor furniture.

As you know, attics are notorious for having an eclectic array of "stuff" ... old, new and everything in between, and Audrey's Attic is no exception. This shop, located in downtown Orrville at the corner of North Main (SR 57) and Water streets, is on my personal short list of favorite places to shop, and I make it a point to drop in at least once a month (I'm afraid I may miss something). I do have to be careful, though, because my husband works right across the street, and he can see me coming out, laden with purchases!

Audrey Merkle has owned the delightful shop for eight years. She was a "professional shopper" before that -- a title given to her by her husband. So now, instead of shopping for herself, she fills her store with delightful things to make your shopping experience better!

"We get a lot of customers coming through town on their way to and from the J.M. Smucker Company Store and Cafe, just down (State Route) 57; Lehman's, over in Kidron; and Amish Country in general," Audrey said. "Our shop has big display windows, so our merchandise can be easily seen as people drive by ... and especially if they're stopped at the traffic light."

Nearly 8,000 square feet of country gifts and decor await you when you visit Audrey's Attic. In her constantly changing inventory, you will discover kitchen decor (including artificial, but totally real looking food items); Raghu linens, such as curtains, tablecloths, runners, bedding, rugs and more (they make special orders, too); Park Designs lights and candle holders; and candles by Keepers of the Light, McCall's and Swan Creek (soy candles). The store also carries Billy Jacobs' folk pictures and furniture, woven jute rugs by Earth Rugs, and runners, chair pads and other matching accent pieces as well as a line of locally made P. Graham Dunn spiritual plaques, pictures, etc. Primitives -- my favorites -- of every size and description are tucked here and there, in, on and around gorgeous antique furniture pieces that Audrey purchases herself.

"I spend a couple days each month hunting for antique furniture," Audrey said. "These pieces serve three purposes: they show our customers how they can display items in their own homes, they give us a place to put our smaller products, and we sell the actual antiques, as well.

So you're not totally "into" antiques? Don't worry; you can mix them with your current decor ... it's becoming the "in" thing to do anyway!

"It depends where you put something as to how it looks," Audrey said. "The same item can look great in a Victorian-style home, a contemporary one or a totally country home. It just depends on how it is displayed.

"I like folks to have things in their homes that remind them of Mom, or Grandma, or someone in their past, " Audrey continued. "Things that remind us of good times seem to make us feel good."

The greenhouse section of Audrey's Attic is one of the most popular attractions in the shop. Today's artificial flowers are so life-like people actually lean over to smell them sometimes, Audrey said.

"Once, I took an potted artificial miniature rose to my mother in the hospital," Audrey said, "and one of the nurses actually watered it!"

I told her one better: I had a tin watering can on my front porch, filled with artificial lavender sprigs from Audrey's store. One day I observed a bumble bee on the blossoms. Audrey's flowers can even fool Mother Nature!

"Everyone is so ready for spring and spring flowers," Audrey said. "Every season has different flowers, of course, and we have them, too, just ready to put in someone's home ... no muss, no fuss and totally re-usable."

Once you visit Audrey's Attic, you'll realize your need to come back often because there's always something different on display, and there's always something affordable. Each season literally bursts in the shop. You can sign up for the shop's free, monthly newsletter that tells of upcoming sales and specials, or visit their Web site to find this information.

I asked Audrey what's "trendy" right now, and her answer surprised me.
"I don't follow trends too much," she said. "I carry whatever appeals to me at the moment. And I advise others to do the same: don't be caught up in what others are doing ... do what you like. It'll make you happy, and your home will reflect that. And don't be afraid to mix and match your styles."

You're an Audrey's Attic V.I.P. if ...

1.Audrey knows you by name.
2.Your car automatically drives to Audrey's Attic.
3.You get upset if the light is green in front of Audrey's Attic.
4.You feel a "lay-a-way" coming on.
5.Your family takes their lunches in Audrey's Attic bags.
6.You could open your house as "Audrey's Attic II."
7.You come in weekly so you don't miss out on anything.
8.Every-other check is written to Audrey's Attic.
9.When your family can't find you, they call Audrey's Attic.
10.An hour at Audrey's Attic is cheaper and better than therapy.

Make a trip to the attic (Audrey's Attic, that is) as soon as possible. You might just miss something if you don't!

Audrey's Attic " 147 N. Main St. (SR 57), Orrville, OH 44667, (330) 683-3384, http://www.shopaudre...tic.com ; hours: Mon. thru Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Another great place to visit while you're in the Orrville area is Bunker Hill Furniture. It's located just a few miles southeast of the city, on State Route 94.

If you've visited Bunker Hill Furniture before, you remember the large showroom filled with many selections of great furniture. But now, David Good and his wife, Ellen, have downsized a bit, and they've moved their business next door, one building south.

"We just needed to scale back a bit," David said. "Rather than handling so much volume, we've now become more of a specialty store."

One big seller at the new store is a hand-carved, full-bodied rocking horse. David creates these rocking horses himself, and each one takes at least 80 hours of labor. Each horse resembles a horse on a merry-go-round, complete with a 7/8" pole, and is mounted on a wide-base rocker for stability. Although basically made for children, David says these horses are sturdy enough for adults to ride!
David also makes specialty pieces of furniture and does flat-wood finishing. No matter what you're looking for, he can make it happen! He also creates beautiful butcher-block tables in many sizes and heights. These can be used as tables or as actual cutting boards. He takes much care to show off the beautiful grain of each of the many individual pieces of wood used to make each table.

The store also sells wall art and other decorative items, as well as Homespice Decor braided rugs in a large variety of colors. Bunker Hill Furniture also offers the Hallagan line of premium upholstered furniture.

As we're all getting ready for spring and planning our outdoor activities, you need to visit Bunker Hill Furniture for some maintenance-free poly outdoor furniture. What could be better than never again having to paint your lawn or patio furniture? You can choose from the Adirondack series or the Roll-back series of chairs, gliders, porch swings and patio/picnic tables (these tables come in many sizes and shapes, so you'll be able to find one to perfectly suit your needs).

If you're looking for quality furniture, be sure to drive out to Bunker Hill Furniture. You'll find great service and great furniture, and at a great price, too.

Bunker Hill Furniture -- 3082 Mt. Eaton Rd. (SR 94), Orrville, OH 44667, (330) 683-4921 or cell-phone (330) 466-6973; hours: by chance or appointment.

Okay. Now you've been visiting Orrville and Amish Country, and you've bought more than your car can hold. What will you do?

Not to worry. PackShip USA will come to your rescue and help you get your purchases back home without any hassle.

Mike Jarrett and his wife, Diane, are owners of PackShip USA, a company just 10 years old. Mike already knew the shipping business, having worked for Fed Ex in Hudson, so when he and his wife were trying to figure out what type of career to take on -- so they could live in their native Wayne County -- they decided to fill a void existing in the Amish furniture industry.

"We did an informal study," Mike said, "and found most Amish furniture makers said arranging shipping was too costly, and the furniture usually ended up broken anyway.

"I'd worked for the feed mill in Kidron over the summers while I went to Mount Union College," Mike continued, "and I delivered feed to many, many Amish farms. Those connections helped pull us to the Orrville area, plus, it's a very convenient location for transportation."

Mike and Diane also own two other PackShip USA sites, both conveniently located in other areas populated by the Amish. There is one in Goshen, Indiana, and one in Leola, Pennsylvania, near Lancaster County.

So what does PackShip USA do, exactly? Well, let's say you go to one of the many furniture stores in our area and purchase a bedroom suite. Either you can call PackShip or the store can, and " because they already have the store's inventory in their data base " PackShip USA can immediately tell you how much it will cost to ship your items to the destination of your choice. They can instantly figure your packing, shipping and pickup charges and give you a quote. No waiting!
PackShip USA schedules pickups at the area shops twice weekly. They then bring the items back to their Orrville location where they are carefully packed and placed on a pallet and shipped.

Most often, shipping is done by motor freight. PackShip also uses UPS and Fed Ex, plus some air transport and some international shipping.

The final step involves contacting the customer and letting them know their options for receiving their merchandise.

"We have two choices," Mike said. "First, we have the 'White Glove' method, where the truck pulls up to your house, men unload the pallet, take it inside and unpack it for you. The other choice is 'Curb-side.' That means the truck pulls up in front of your house, and you take it from there.

"Our customer-service department tracks the whole process; we're very in tune with our customers," Mike said.

He went on to say he feels when customers are making quality purchases such as Amish-made furniture " selections that will be heirlooms for generations to come " they are making emotional decisions.

"We don't want them to lose any of that feeling," he said, "so we try to help them have the best possible experience.

Many folks, from the West Coast, for instance, have found purchasing quality, Amish-made furniture here in Ohio, and having it shipped there, is still much less expensive than buying the same quality furniture there.

I asked Mike what was the most unusual product he'd ever shipped. He had to think a moment, but then said they often ship Amish buggies and have also shipped motorcycles and even doggy treadmills!

"Oh, yes," he said quickly. "And we just shipped a $20,000 deer head!"

So whether you're buying a dining room or bedroom suite, a buggy, a motorcycle or just more small packages than will fit in your car, remember PackShip USA can help you get it all home. And it will arrive in perfect condition, to boot!

PackShip USA " 1347 N. Main St. (SR 57), Orrville, Oh 44667, (330) 682-PACK (7225), http://www.packshipusa.com; hours: weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., & Sat., 9 a.m.-noon.