Almost every week my dad asks me for the inside scoop on where I’m venturing off to, and nearly each time he follows it with suggestions of places to visit. The man’s been around Northern Kentucky a lot longer than I have, so I had to take him up on one of his most common suggestions: Williamstown in Grant County.
My dad goes here often, so to visit I needed a true expert’s help. This segment is large in part due to the help of my dad. (Just don’t let it get to his head — he’ll be applying for my job before we know it.)
Williamstown is best known for two things: their lake and the Ark Encounter. Whether you’re visiting for one of those reasons, or just to check out a quaint, cute and small business-centered city, you’ll have plenty of places to visit.
The story also includes a stop at a popular café in Dry Ridge.
Beans Café and Bakery: 21 Taft Hwy, Dry Ridge
As we all know by now, I love coffee and you’re probably sick of me saying it, but coffeeshops seem to be one of the most loved places for many of us, and this shop was one of them.
Beans carries a wide variety of products and are open for all meals. Their menu is quite extensive and truly covers the gambit of all food groups, which I was not expecting from a place that calls themselves a café. I find most cafes carry select items, but Beans has it all.
They serve Caribou coffee, which I can never seem to find in NKY so was very pleasantly surprised to see that. I ordered my usually vanilla latte, to go but there was ample seating, had I needed to sit.
This is a great spot for quick, easy, filling and fresh food. Sandwiches always taste better on freshly made warm bread, and everything here is guaranteed to deliver just that. So before you venture to main street, stop at Beans for a coffee or quick bite and you won’t be disappointed.
Sweet Marcella’s: 108 North Main Street, Williamstown
Everything you need to know about Sweet Marcella’s is all in their name. Genuinely one of the cutest, sweetest places I’ve seen. It’s a mishmash of everything: They have a coffee bar and snacks, while also selling an assortment of products, as well as hosting several community events.
They host as variety of crafting events, many of which are designed for kids. This is a great activity to sign kids up for to help them utilize their creative skills. They have various one already planned for the holiday season, and their Facebook has the most up to date information on their classes.
They sell a little bit of everything, from customized mugs, to accessories to cards, to signs. It’s hard to describe everything they carry, because it is, well, everything. They have an online store where you can purchase select items from, including those giant yard signs you see in neighbors’ yards for special occasions. But to really see everything they carry and offer, you have to visit in person.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it every time I find a store that matches this interest of mine: I love knickknacks and random trinkets and Sweet Marcella’s is one of the best places for that. Every time I turned around there was something else that caught my eye. You could spend hours here and still leave missing something, so it’s absolutely worth the visit.
Farmhouse Furniture KY: 114 North Main Street, Williamstown
I’ve been on a rather long pursuit to buy a home, and in doing so I’ve been obsessed with furniture and home décor. To be clear, I have yet to actually buy a home, but my plan is to buy the furniture first. Does it make sense? No. Will I still be buying everything from this store? Absolutely.
I love unique pieces that are not only catered to you and your home, but that virtually no one else has in their home. IKEA is convenient and cheap for a reason. The best part about the entire process here, is that you get to design it.
I’ve never really been one with an artistic hand, but have loved design in both fashion and home. I’ve never been skilled enough in either area to create these items I envision, and here you can do exactly that. Once you design your pieces, the very skilled teams here bring them to life.
It’s an amazing concept, the creatives of the world helping out those of us who, well, are not artistically gifted.
They specialize in dining tables, but can create all the chairs, tables and desks your house needs. Their inspiration came from Chip and Joanna Gaines, so no need to run out to target to shop the Magnolia collection, you can customize your own item right here in Kentucky.
Hansie Flip Burgers: 134 North Main Street, Williamstown
If you’re looking for something greasy and diner-style, then look no further than Hansie Flip Burgers. This takes diner food, and elevates it to a different experience. The interior doesn’t match what I was expecting with their menu, but I found it to be more cozy and inviting than a traditional diner interior.
The interior is more rustic with neutral colors and wood accents, while their outside patio is more colorful. But what really matters in a place like this isn’t the color of the chairs, it’s the quality of the food. With a menu that only serves three food items and select drinks, their decision to keep it simple was a great one. When your food is good, you don’t need a huge variety when everyone’s coming for the same thing. It is a burger joint after all, so ordering anything else would just be criminal. Each burger is piled high with fresh toppings that help cut through the grease of the burger.
Burgers aren’t usually my personal go to order, but I can’t stop thinking about their burger and fries. The fries are thick cut and golden brown, the perfect pair to your meal. If you somehow have room after that indulgent meal, they also have milkshakes, in the classic vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors. Everyone raves about Shakeshack and In and Out online, while we may not have either of those places, they don’t have Hansie’s, and I think they’re the ones missing out.
The next time you’re looking for a little variety from your neighborhood businesses, Williamstown offers so much more than what is even listed here. If you find yourself taking a trip to Williamstown lake, or the famous Ark Encounter, make sure to carve out some time for these businesses.
Have a street, city or business you want me to check out next? Email me at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of streetscapes.
Link NKY Streetscapes series is powered by Duke Energy, proud employer of 2,300 people in southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky who live, work, and play in the vibrant communities and neighborhoods highlighted through these stories.