On Vacation - Vermillion

Seasonal display, Vermillion, OH. 10/8/25 dwm

As we drove west across Ohio close to the shore, we stopped in several communities,

Vermillion, Ohio straddles the county line between Lorain county to the east and Erie county to the west. The reason we stopped was to see their lighthouse and we heard they had a picturesque community.

We drove in on U.S. Highway 6, the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, designated as a U.S. Highway in 1926, connecting Provincetown, Massachusetts to Bishop, California. I've been on pieces of Highway 6 in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and now, Ohio.

Note the homes up the shore. 10/8/25 dwm

As we approached downtown we noticed the as it became a street of water passing in front of homes and cabins. The community became known for its fishing and small-boat harbor.

The river wasn't big enough for commercial traffic, so it became known in the 20th century as a resort community where people could have a cabin where they could get away in the summer.

Most of those cabins are now year-round homes for people who love living on or near the water.

Downtown Vermillion was experiencing a Chamber of Commerce October day when we stopped for the light and then parked downtown to explore the shops.

Big Ed's Soda Grill on the corner. 10/8/25 dwm

We took a break from shopping to eat lunch at Big Ed's Soda Grill. The big building on the corner of Main and Liberty streets is more than 150 years old.

It used to house two businesses, a bar and a dry goods shop. It's known in Vermillion as the site of Hart's Drug Store. The drug store became Amherst's Higgins Drug Store in 1985, taking care of prescriptions and chocolate malts until 2000. It opened as the Soda Grill Fountain and Restaurant the following year by Big Ed Tomshak.

The Soda Grill still has the original soda fountain and uses some of the same furnishings as decor. It's a nice looking diner and when I first walked in to take a peek was greeted warmly by one of the servers. My wife returned with me a few minutes later.

Big Ed's choc. malt. 10/8/25

When I saw that they served malts in a and enough extra malt for a refill in the mixer tin.

I ordered a BLT sandwich, which was great. The malt was amazing as I had a taste of malt with every sip. Chocolate shakes are fine, but give me a malt every day and twice on Sunday.

After lunch, my wife went to the cross-stitch and fabric store while I checked out Brummer's an old-fashioned candy store.

I wasn't surprised to see M & M candies in the store, but something I've never seen was there. It was a stand with 30 separate glass canisters each holding a single color and flavor M & M. Based on the per pound price, you should save these M & Ms from the trick or treaters.

Brummer's started in New Jersey in 1904, then moved to Ohio a few decades later. Their very first creation is still on sale, a delectable treat covered with slivers of almond. Not being partial to nuts, I chose a couple of treats for friends back home (photo below).

Pretzel rods and choc covered mini-pretzels. dwm

Back in the candy kitchen, three workers were dunking apples in various syrups and covered in tiny candies.

It's a beautiful shop with a huge selection, I bet you won't leave without a bag of candy.

I won't forget a small group of people decorating the corner across from Big Ed's Soda Grill, who invited me to take some pictures and welcomed us to Vermillion, pointing out stores we might enjoy.

A chamber of commerce day in Vermillion, cute shops, a great lunch, and a bunch of friendly Vermillionaires... we had a great time. (Scroll down for more photos.)