Dorothy Lane Market: The Only Grocery Store Where I Actually Look Forward to Shopping

Welcome to the 581st Tablescape Thursday!

I’m making the long trek back home today. I was set to do that yesterday but my son asked me stay a day longer for an event we attended last night together. But today is the day!

I didn’t get a chance to set a table this week. I thought about posting a roundup of Thanksgiving tables or something similar, but then I decided on something completely different that’s sorta table-related. I’ve always wanted to share a special place with you. It’s a place I visit multiple times whenever I’m here in the Dayton area called, Dorothy Lane Market.

First off, you have to know this girl does not really enjoy cooking. As I’ve mentioned before in previous posts, the only time I really like to cook is when it’s for family or for a party I’m throwing. I think I enjoy it then because I’m thinking about the dinner or the party and how much fun it will be.

About the only thing I dislike more than cooking is grocery shopping. Grocery shopping on the “fun” scale ranks right up there with cleaning toilets or vacuuming. It’s a necessary evil that I put off as long as humanly possible and then try to get done as fast as possible.

At the grocery stores near me back home in Atlanta, especially Publix and Kroger, you have to park a million miles out. Once inside, you spend much of your time dodging other customers in an attempt to find the items you need and waiting in long lines at the deli for formulaic, mediocre offerings. This impersonal, frustrating experience all culminates in you becoming an unpaid employee of the store as you are forced to either check yourself out or face standing in long checkout lines.

I refuse to check myself out in any store. Call me a rebel, but I feel if I’m patronizing your store and giving you my hard-earned money, the least you can do is ring up my groceries! Thankfully I’ve found a way to cope with this lack of customer service by doing my shopping late in the evening around 9 or 10:00 PM. If I’m stuck going earlier in the day, I make the checkout line time more productive by replying to emails or blog comments on my phone while I wait. The whole experience leaves me feeling drained.

Oh, how different things are when I’m in Dayton and it’s all because of one store. I will almost make up excuses to go grocery shopping, as long as it’s shopping in Dorothy Lane Market. Grocery shopping in DLM is not just grocery shopping, it’s an event, an experience! The employees who work there are so nice and even those who patronize the store are nice. They smile at you, apologize if they walk in front of you while you’re standing back scanning a shelf for an item. It’s just another world!

If you ever find yourself in the Dayton area, check out Dorothy Lane Market. There are three locations and I’ve only been to one, so I can’t say what the others are like, but the one on Far Hills Road in Oakwood is great!

There are two entrances. When I go, I normally parallel park on the side facing Far Hills. If those parking spaces are taken, I drive around to the other side and park there to go in through that entrance. You can see that parking lot in this photo below. If you park on that side, you enter into the store between the bakery and the coffee shop. I usually visit the bakery for a few desserts once my shopping is all done. When my son is with me, we usually stop by the coffee shop as soon as we enter so he can grab a hot coffee to sip on while we shop.

 

There are signs just outside each door that let you know this store isn’t going to be your typical store.

 

Dorothy Lane is known for its Killer Brownies. I purchased two of their Christmas tins recently, each containing 4 Killer Brownies. I plan to keep one and give the other as a gift to a friend for Christmas.

 

No matter which door you enter, you will most likely end up on the aisle where the deli is located first. I can never walk by this area because I literally want to purchase some of every single item they make!

 

My photos do not do it justice, but the best way I can describe the food you find here is that it all tastes like your mom made it that morning.

 

It doesn’t taste like the homogenized, formulaic deli food that you get in a Publix or a Kroger; it’s anything but that! See that salad toward the back…the one with the bow tie pasta? That’s Pine Club Salad and it is insanely addictive. The Pine Club is a famous, local restaurant, several Presidents and quite a few celebrities have dined there. I guess this is one of their wonderful recipes and apparently The Pine Club allows DLM to offer it to their customers. My son and I have dinner at The Pine Club almost every time I visit. (Google “The Pine Club” to read more about the restaurant.)

 

I snapped these photos quickly since I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so sorry about the quality. But I knew I had to share this special store with you.

 

The Asiago Chicken is a big-time favorite of my family. If I ever move here, I’m sure I’ll be in here buying it regularly for my dinner. It tastes homemade (as so many of their foods do) and is excellent. Nancy and I both pick it up for dinner sometimes and the boys love it!

 

I had one of the salmon patties for lunch recently and it was great!

 

There are so many more dishes from which to choose here in the deli area…tons of salads! I took just a few quick photos as I passed by the counter. On the other side of the store, there’s a large salad bar where you can put together a salad to take home for lunch.

 

The broccoli salad is another favorite of ours, I buy it a few times during each of my visits.

 

Across from the deli, there are many DLM foods packaged up that you can grab when you’re in a hurry. There are ready-made salads, quiches, pizza ready for cooking, sandwiches–just everything. This side of the aisle is about three times the size I’m showing here, so lots of offerings.

One thing I didn’t mention, this location of Dorothy Lane is quite cozy. You would think shopping here would be a frustrating experience due to the fairly narrow aisles and the smallish size of the store, but it’s not. Everyone is so nice and polite and it’s never overly crowded unless they are having one of their wine tastings or a special event.

 

My son and I love coming here to pick up steaks for grilling. He loves grilling on his Big Green Egg, no matter the time of year.

 

Their hamburgers are amazing! The day I was shopping and took these photos, one of the guys behind the counter came out and we chatted. That’s how everyone is at this location, so friendly! Anyway, he shared something I didn’t know. They have a grill in back (he pointed it out through an open area) and they will grill up for you anything you like…steak, burger, whatever at no extra charge. As long as it doesn’t require an oven and can be grilled, they will cook it for you. He said they do it all the time for customers. There’s an upstairs area where you can eat in the store. I’ve seen the tables there when I’ve glanced up, but I’ve never been upstairs to check out that area. So you could just eat right there.

 

My son and I often come here for their shrimp, which he also cooks on his Big Green Egg.

 

The prices in Dorothy Lane are probably a bit higher than say a Publix or Kroger, but I will gladly pay more for the atmosphere, the exceptional quality of the food and the service you get when shopping there. There are no self-checkout lanes (Yay!) and I’ve never had to wait very long at all to check out.

They have 2-3 fast checkout lanes for when you’re only getting 10 or so items and the other lanes are always well-staffed. The employees who check you out are all wearing black slacks, white shirts and black bow-ties. Shopping in Dorothy Lane, at least at this location, is like shopping in the Hermes or Louis Vuitton of grocery stores. 😉

The employees must love their jobs because they stay here for a long time. A gentleman named, Jerry, helped me with my groceries on one of my recent trips. As we walked toward my car, I told him how much I liked shopping in Dorothy Lane Market and how I wish they had a location in Georgia. I quickly added that turning into a chain store might change them, though…and I didn’t want that!

He shared that he has worked there for 50 years and hoped to be there a few more. When I expressed how awesome that was, he told me that several others, a few who had just retired, had also been there for 50+ years. Amazing! We had such a great time chatting, Dorothy Lane is truly a special place!

 

The produce is always so fresh and beautifully displayed. I’ve never seen anything that looked old or questionable.

 

 

Recently, my daughter-in-law had a craving for pumpkin seeds. They had them here, already shelled. They were delish!

 

If you’re ever in Dayton, check out the Dorothy Lane Market on Far Hill’s Road. You gotta try one of their Killer Brownies!

Killer Brownie at Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton Ohio

 

For an “I’ve-died-and-gone-to-heaven” experience, heap a few scoops of Graeter’s ice cream on top. Graeter’s is made locally in the state of Ohio and Dorothy Lane carries it. Graeter’s also has an ice cream shop within walking distance of Dorothy Lane for when you want a large gallon size of their offerings. It’s another one of my favorite haunts when I’m here.

I especially LOVE their peppermint ice cream that’s sadly only available starting around Thanksgiving, disappearing again once Christmas has passed. It’s the best peppermint ice cream I’ve ever had because the bits of peppermint that are all throughout the ice cream, don’t get all mushy and dissolved like they do in so many other brands of peppermint ice cream. I love running into those bits of crunchy peppermint when devouring a bowl! I’ve tried my best to get Graeter’s to consider offering it all year round, but they wouldn’t listen to me. Why is peppermint icecream only a Christmas thing?! Grrrr!

Graeter's Icecream, Dorothy Lane Market, Dayton Ohio

 

I didn’t get a chance to take any photos of the wine shop, the bakery or the coffee shop inside Dorothy Lane Market, but oh my gosh, the bakery is insane! Everything in the bakery is wonderful, I think I’ve tasted it all over the last few years! Ha!

The desserts are amazing and the bread is wonderful. If you’re interested, on my next trip back (Christmastime) I’ll take a few pics of those areas to share. I could spend hours in this store, not to mention all my monies! lol It’s a dangerous place to shop because everything is “the best!”

Okay, it’s 10 am and I need to get this post published, pack my suitcase and start the long drive home. I don’t like driving in the dark on the interstate, but it won’t be avoidable on this trip since it gets dark so early now.

See you back home for the next post!

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Comments

  1. Ha! Susan you crack me up! I’m exactly the same way about cooking and shopping. Your store sounds wonderful though – exactly the kind of place I love. Maybe we’ll have to move to Dayton! 🙂 Thanks for the great post!

  2. Barbara Edwards Armacost says

    We have relatives who live in Dayton. The killer
    Brownies are always worth the trip!!

  3. AGAIN, you & I are SO ON the same page!!! “Used to” at leadt tolerate “Wegman’s”…since they have grown by leaps and bounds…it is not the same. Can’t tolerate “Self”-checkout…gaaa…those ” machines see me coming & immediately malfunction!” Do I wait yet another week to vacuum franki

  4. Thank you Susan, that market looks wonderful! In the Birmingham area Publix are opening upscale stores called Greenwise which are similar in the astounding number of well prepared foods, so maybe you’ll get one near you soon. I also highly recommend Shipt, they will shop for you, it’s heaven!! Thanks for the party, and happy better shopping!

  5. This is Sandy again

    I said once before how much I love your blog on every subject.
    I live in West Chester Ohio not far from where your children live.
    I have driven up to Dorthy Lane and it is fabulous
    You spoke of Graters Ice Cream. It is made in Cincinnati.

    • Thanks, Sandy! I knew Graeter’s was local to Ohio but wasn’t exactly sure where it was made. It is so good!

    • James Maddox says

      I work in the produce department at Dorothy Lane Market. You should drive a few miles south on Far Hills to the Washington Square store. It’s a slightly larger store with a better parking lot. All the cakes and most of the bakery items for all three stores is made in the huge building behind it.

      • James, sorry I’m so late in replying to this comment. Your location in Washington Square is where I shop now when I’m in Dayton…love that store! My daughter-in-law recently told me that an even larger location has opened up in Springboro. Thanks for taking the time to comment–so good hearing from someone who works at DLM!

  6. Snowflake281 says

    Food shopping – #1 on my “Things I hate to do” list! Although on Long Island I think that some supermarkets are getting the message & coming around to providing better customer service but then you have to deal with the other food shoppers. You know, the oblivious ones leaving their shopping cart smack dab in the middle of the aisle or the ones running it into the back of your heel! Oh & the cashiers give you a dirty look when you approach their station! And there will be no chit-chatting, just place your items on the conveyor belt, pay for your stuff & get out! I hope someday LI will have a Dorothy Lane store.

  7. Any time there is an awning above a store door you know you are in for a treat. I love finding little stores like that. Unfortunately, Walmart is close and I know where all the items are….what can I say. Be safe and thanks for sharing.

    • Biodynamic Barb says

      Please don’t shop at Walmart! As wealthy as that family is, they hold food drives for their employees, rather than pay them a living wage. If you shop there, you’re saving money on the backs of their employees.

      • I live about 40 minutes from the DLM on Far Hills. I make a trek there about once a month. It’s a wonderful store. The dessert counter when you walk-in From the parking lot is a gorgeous site and everything is so good. Everything in the deli is SO good. I wish they would open a store north of Dayton but I know it will never happen. So, I’ll just continue to make my trip to the Far Hills store about once a month.

        Cindi

        • Cindi, one of the employees told me they were about to open a 4th store. I can’t remember where he said it would be now. Give them a call and ask, maybe it will be closer to you. The DLM on Far Hills is the one I always shop in, too.

          • Mary Lou says

            The fourth store will be in Mason, Ohio. My daughter lives there with her family and can hardly wait for it to open!! Everyone has their favorites. Mine is their meatloaf and the yummy sauce. Also Laura’s cookies!
            Enjoy it all!

            • I haven’t tried their meatloaf yet, I need to do that. I’ll look for Laura’s cookies next time I’m there. Thanks for those suggestions, Mary Lou!
              XXX

  8. Safe travels!

  9. Rhonda Bridges says

    Marietta/Kennesaw area could definitely use one of those!! I order Publix and have it delivered! It has made the biggest difference in my life, lol!! Because I also hate grocery shopping!!

  10. This market looks, and sounds, like the Kowalski’s stores that we have
    in the Twin Cities (MN.) . We live about 55 miles from there, but always
    make a point of stopping in. I agree with you about spending a little
    more for quality, in-house specialty foods, and customer service. It’s
    well worth the extra money!

    • I agree, it does sound like Kowalski’s! I also live too far to shop there on a regular basis but it’s always a fun experience.

  11. Another reason for reading your blog. The Killer Brownies intrigued me . When I travel I love trying local food. So I did a lookup for Dorthy Lane store and what a surprise, you can order online and have them shipped to you. Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try them.

    • I always forget that they ship! Darlene, the brownies are pretty big and sooo rich and yummy, I always cut them up into 4ths. One fourth of one is a nice snack and since they are so rich and decadent, it’s more than enough for me at one time.

  12. Susan, glad you enjoyed your visit to Ohio. Graeter’s is a Cincinnati company, started 145 years ago in my home town. Several grocery stores in Atlanta, including Kroger’s, carry their ice cream. And you can order it online directly from Graeter’s.

    • Graeter’s in Hyde Park on the way home from high school in my hometown of Cincy! They sell it at our Publix here in Florida as well. I want to order those brownies!!!

    • Thanks for that info, Sandra! I added it to the post. I just discovered that Kroger’s carries their ice cream. I’m going there today and will look for it. I looked online and love that you can order it. Unfortunately, when you order online, it’s almost double the cost. I may have to do that for the Peppermint Icecream, though. I wish I had a freezer, I would buy it by the gallon and stock up!

  13. Anne Shaheen says

    Oh Susan you know how thrilled I am to read today’s post! I love,love,love DLM!!!

  14. In Louisville we have Paul’s, which has been here since 1945. There are several locations scattered throughout the Louisville area. Their deli offerings are wonderful…my personal favorite is cranberry almond chicken salad (their best seller). Paul’s produce is always fresh and quite reasonably priced. In fact, today I bought fresh fennel there and paid much less than what was available (and rather sorry looking, BTW) at Kroger.

  15. Maryann Marshall says

    I feel the same way about Trader Joe’s here in Williamsburg, Va. the employees are very helpful, and very happy. Lots of unusual items.

  16. Wow, your grocery experience looks like it can’t be beat. So, when are you moving??? I can see it coming……and it’s all good.
    Safe travels.

  17. Brenda Lawrence says

    Wow, wish they were here in PA too Susan! I hate grocery shopping with a passion. I don’t like rude people either and they seem to be getting rudder every year. Especially this time of year until late Jan. I will check myself out only because I hate shopping but only when I have a few items. I’m not checking myself out if I have a cart full as I feel the same as you do. This store looks amazing as does the food!!! You know they have to be a great employer too if people stay that long working there. That says a lot! Glad you at least get to shop there when you are in OH. lol Hugs, Brenda

  18. Susan, thanks for sharing about Dorothy Lane and The Pine Club. I looked up TPC at your suggestion and it looks straight out of the 50s – 60s to me. Even the print and logo at the top of their page put me in mind of Rob and Laura Petrie and Lucy and Ricky. If I ever go to Dayton, I’d like to go to The Pine Club.

    Also, I used to love grocery shopping but now I am more like you – I do it because it needs to be done. But since you have both Publix and Kroger in your area, maybe you could start having delivery service and save yourself the monotony. Dorothy Lane sounds and looks, great. The pictures you took, even of the items in the glass case, show full dishes and neat displays. That in itself is unusual! Now I wish I had one near me, as well.

    If you get a chance, I’d love to know what cuts of steak Chip likes to grill on his big green egg. And what is in that broccoli salad that makes it so good? 🙂 Definitely take more pictures when you are back at Christmas. The store will probably be extra pretty!

    • I think I took a photo of the wrong salad for the post but the one I buy at DLM that is so good has broccoli, raisins, bacon, red onion and some type of sauce or dressing that’s whitish in color. I think that’s everything that’s in the broccoli salad. My son, dil and I all love it! If you Google for a broccoli with those ingredients, I bet you can find a recipe online because I have a similar broccoli recipe given to me by a teacher in my son’s elementary school many, many years ago. It had raisins and bacon also…can’t remember if it had purple onion or not.

  19. Anne Shaheen says

    Susan,I sent DLM an email to check out your post. They were so excited to see it!!

    • Thanks, Anne! Hope they didn’t mind me taking photos inside…had to share their store since I enjoy so much!

      • DLM is the BEST thing in SW Ohio without a doubt!! My nephew worked there when he was in high school and loved it. And your review was spot-on!!! I drive up from Cincinnati whenever I can. The place is a dream come true! And those Killer Brownies are well worth the trip!!

  20. I never have had any issues with Publix, always clean and the employees are always helpful.

  21. Wow! Life would be much easier if I had one of those markets right around the corner. Now that I live out in the country I have to drive 45 minutes to a decent grocery store! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

  22. Rose Mary Lee says

    This store reminds me of FRESH MARKET, I normally shop at Publix and have always been pleased with their pleasant and helpful employees.

  23. Definitely sounds like a great place! Thanks for hosting and enjoy your weekend!
    Shelley

  24. First of all, safe travel home sweetie.

    Secondly, we have a similar chain of stores called Farm Boy that is only located in the Province I live in. Originally they just carried fresh fruit and vegetables but have expanded considerably over the years in the items they offer which I feel is pretty identical to what you have shared. That said; they also have two buffets. One being that of a salad bar with vegetable bits ‘n pieces (as who needs a whole head of lettuce if there is only one or two of you eating it) as well as fruits ‘n fixings and the other is a hot buffet. The latter changes on a daily basis and ranges from pasta, chicken, beef, pork and veal dishes and homemade hot soups all made on the premises. In both respects; prices are based on the quantity purchased which IMO is ideal. Oh, they also have an amazing deli cheese counter which has an impressive selection as well. -Brenda-
    P.S.: Like yourself never have enjoyed grocery shopping and prefer to cook/bake for a crowd.

  25. Dorothy Lane looks like a fun adventure. All that food, especially the fresh, made me wonder how much is wasted. As much as any other store I suppose. At least it all looked wonderfully fresh which is something the stores I shop at lack. It sure sounds like you are creating a niche in Ohio! Getting the lay of the land so to speak. I bet you are going to move! Hope your trip home goes smoothly and not too much driving in the dark.

  26. Biodynamic Barb says

    Dear Susan, KUDOS to you for never using self checkout! If you do use it, you’re contributing to someone losing their job. I never, ever use it, no matter how long the line is.

    Unlike you, I LOVE to cook! In addition to feeding my husband, I also bring food to the farmers at our CSA (6-10 people, all with different food limitations). If I had to shop at Kroger/Publix, I’d hate shopping, too, but I get most of our produce from the CSA and what little else I need I either order in bulk (Frontier Coop is great for that) or I get it at our little neighborhood store, which is 100% organic!

    It’s crucial that we support those small stores, even if they’re a bit more expensive.

    Do you not have a Whole Foods near you? The ones I’ve been in are similar to DLM with locally grown organic produce, delicious prepared foods (not organic, though), and helpful employees.

    (I do find it odd that you love to set the table, but don’t love cooking…)

  27. Their offerings reminded me of Fresh Market too. Although their offerings sound wonderful. Our Fresh Markets have opened somewhat bigger stores. I loved the smaller cozier ones better. Since there is another Sandy here, I’ll change mine. Have a safe trip home.

  28. How nice that you have a son who wanted you to stay longer and such a loving daughter in law. I don’t enjoy cooking either, but I do it because when I eat out I gain weight. Sigh. I enjoy shopping at Sprouts by the Avenue West in Marietta. Not because of friendly staff, but because of all the organic produce at good prices compared to Publix or Kroger. I also buy Pepitas in the bulk bins there. Wishing safe travels home for you. It is supposed to be colder here tomorrow.

  29. Gloria Hutchinson says

    Sorry, I love to grocery shop especially if I have a great store to shop in, which I had when I lived in Houston, Texas. I miss my H-E-B! HEB is on the same level as DLM. The produce area is huge, the cheeses and deli area have so many offerings and the rest of the store is great. I also live in Atlanta and Publix and Kroger are just “OK”. Although I have found that the Kroger in Cartersville is very acceptable, it’s bigger than your normal Kroger stores. But thank you, finally someone who appreciates a great grocery store!

  30. This reminds me of the Boise Co-Op. I was so lucky to have it. A wonderful market with all kinds of specialty items and a great deli like this one too. Have not found nearly as nice anywhere in Texas

  31. Linda Gomoll says

    Dorothy Lane Mkt reminds me of some we have here in the desert…Gelsons, Jensens and Whole Foods (of course, the ever popular Trader Joes). Goes to show living on the ‘left’ coast does have it’s perks. I can’t imagine Atlanta not having any upscale grocery stores. Glad you found this little slice of heaven to help perk up your ‘grocery chain store blues.’

  32. I enjoyed reading your post. I must be odd because I enjoy grocery shopping most of the time. In our area, we had Lewis Jones Supermarkets (closed now) which were owned by a local family and excelled in service and quality of meats (grown on their farm) and produce. They decorated so beautifully for fall and Christmas. Ours was a smaller store, so the aisles were really crowded before holidays, and everyone was cheerful. I also like Fresh Market. We went to a grocery store near our hotel in Boston that had a wide array of prepared foods, but it was so large that I was overwhelmed. It sounds like DL is worth a stop if you’re in the area. I don’t see how a store can offer so many quality, prepared foods.

  33. Dorothy Lane Market is such a wonderful store… like you pointed out, it is an experience… I live down in Cincinnati and visit once or twice a month to bring home goodies. Luckily I have a Graeter’s store within 5 minutes of my home… so good… last time I went to the doctor they asked if I smoked or drank or did drugs… I truthfully replied that my vice was Graeter’s ice cream… the doctor laughed and said she totally understood.

  34. I live about 40 minutes from the DLM on Far Hills. I make a trek there about once a month. It’s a wonderful store. The dessert counter when you walk-in From the parking lot is a gorgeous site and everything is so good. Everything in the deli is SO good. I wish they would open a store north of Dayton but I know it will never happen. So, I’ll just continue to make my trip to the Far Hills store about once a month.

    Cindi

  35. Looks like a wonderful store…………I love prepared foods!! If I’m ever in the area I will definitely stop in. Thanks for sharing.

  36. Cyndi Raines says

    By now I am sure you are home safe and unwinding from a wonderful family time. I enjoyed this post as it reminded me of a delightful store in Rochester Hills, MI called Nino Savigo’s, it’s just like this! Beautifully displayed fruits, awesome bakery with the freshest baked, flavorful breads, wonderful deli and scrumptious salads, etc. It truly is a delight to meander throughout the store. When we go visit my brother, we often take a cooler to fill as the drive is a little over an hour and if we buy the meat or fish, I want to keep it cold. We hope to go to Dayton, sometime before Christmas to visit the Air Force Museum and we will do our best to visit Dorothy Lane Market also. Thanks Susan for adding to our must see list, hehe and I’m sure we’ll have to buy some of those killer brownies and that Asiago Chicken has my mouth watering!

  37. Cyndi Raines says

    By now I am sure you are home safe and unwinding from a wonderful family time. I enjoyed this post as it reminded me of a delightful store in Rochester Hills, MI called Nino Savigo’s, it’s just like this! Beautifully displayed fruits, awesome bakery with the freshest baked, flavorful breads, wonderful deli and scrumptious salads, etc. It truly is a delight to meander throughout the store. When we go visit my brother, we often take a cooler to fill as the drive is a little over an hour and if we buy the meat or fish, I want to keep it cold. We hope to go to Dayton, sometime before Christmas to visit the Air Force Museum and we will do our best to visit Dorothy Lane Market also. Thanks Susan for adding to our must see list, hehe and I’m sure we’ll have to buy some of those killer brownies and that Asiago Chicken has my mouth watering!

  38. Cyndi Raines says

    Oh my GOSH! I just googled to see how far DLM is from the Air Force Museum and is is like 19 minutes, approx. 14 miles! Wow, we will go for sure!

    • That’s awesome! I was thinking it must be pretty close because during this trip up, my son mentioned the museum and how he’d like to see it. Cyndi, there are 3 Dorothy Lane locations. I always go to the one on Far Hills Road. The other two are a good bit bigger, I think. If you want to see the smaller one that I go to, go to the Far Hills location. Next time I’m up there, I think I’ll visit one of the larger locations just to see how they are.

  39. Safe travels home!

  40. Oh Susan! I made a huge mistake visiting this post before eating. That store is amazing – I can see why you love it so much! YUM!!!!

    Thanks for hosting – it’s so nice joining in on the fun this week. : – )

    Have a fabulous weekend. It’s COLD!!!! Stay warm!!!!

  41. Mary Lou Holland says

    Susan,
    I read and enjoy your articles everyday. But what a shock to see MY GROCERY STORE featured!! It IS a fun pleasant place to shop for many items and services other stores don’t carry, and yes, everyone is so helpful and polite. By the way, there are two DLMs on Far Hills… one is in Oakwood and the other is in Centerville/Washington Township. The third is in Springboro, farther south. I usually go to the Centerville one because I live there. Next time you go to the deli, try the meatloaf and special sauce!! A favorite!!
    ❤️ Mary Lou

  42. You might want to try ordering groceries from Publix on line and having them deliver. I’ve been using this service for six months and really like it. The drivers bring the groceries into my kitchen for me. If you try it, be sure to approve or disapprove substitutions in case an item is out of stock

  43. I really enjoy the multitude of offerings at Wegmans. I believe you have one in the Atlanta area now. They are very consumer friendly and they carry anything and everything! The employees are always helpful and will always take time to walk you to the item you are trying to find. When people come in from out of town they always want to include a trip to Wegmans! I live in Amherst, New York which is very close to the “home” of Wegmans(Rochester). Wegmans has always been considered an upscale store, but accommodates everyone. Give it a try if you haven’t!

  44. Dorothy Lane Market is a fabulous store. Our oldest daughter and son-in-law used to live in Dayton and they took us there. At one point they lived in Fairfield Ohio and Jungle Jim’s is there. It definitely is not as elegant as DLM but a fascinating and enormous store. Good for you for refusing the self-checkout lanes. I had to return something to Walmart and they are almost exclusively self-checkout. We seldom have a need to go there and may not go at all if their checkouts continue in that vein.

  45. Now I have brownies on the brain. Thanks for the tour; sounds wonderful.
    As a side note. If you shop at Whole Foods be sure to sign up for the FDA food recall list. I won’t shop there anymore.

  46. I loooove food markets and pictures and descriptions of food. Yummm! Yes, please…next you are there in Ohio…pictures of the bakery, coffee shop, and wine shop! So looking forward to it. Hugs, Memarge:)

  47. DLM reminds me of Central Market — we have one here in Fort Worth. The salads and fresh foods are always amazing, the fish is fantastic, the people who work there love the place, and they have an ice cream shoppe which is out of this world. Higher prices (I noticed $36.99/lb. for tenderloin at DLM, and Central Market’s sea bass is about $40.00/lb., but who’s counting?) Don’t shop there hungry, right? 😉 P.S. Do you have a “Signature” Kroger near you? Their deli is pretty good, as well as the bakery.

  48. I stumbled across your blog today, and am so glad I did. Very nice blog so far. I am from the Dayton area, so it was sooooo cool to see your post about DLM, it’s my favorite store here for groceries here as well. Looking forward to your future posts.

  49. jenny alexander says

    2 dlm on Far Hills..one in Oakwood and one on Far Hills in Centerville

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