Sep 30, 2024
VAN WERT, Ohio (WANE) — Collins Fine Foods started in a huckster wagon. "My great great grandfather left home when he was 16 years old and he ended up getting a horse buggy and driving around the county, trading with people and selling items," said Jim Collins, 4th generation owner of Collins Fine Foods. The interior of Collins Fine Foods And then it grew into a brick-and-mortar offering a wide selection of alcohol. "It used to be a grocery, really small, and then we got into wine and now we do beer because craft beer became so popular," said McKenzie Collins, Jim's daughter. And now a sandwich shop since the mid-90s. Over decades Collins has become a staple in downtown Van Wert. "Our school had open lunches and they always went to the bakery downtown, and one of the kids that was our neighbor came here and said can you make me a sandwich," Jim said. "That just got crazier and crazier and we had kids lined up to the point where people wouldn't come in because they knew it was going to be crazy at lunchtime." A "Jimmy Special" being made. Jim was handed the keys by his dad. "My father after World War II was next in line. He passed away in 1983," Jim said. "I was a senior in high school and pretty much here we are." And he's keeping the business in the Collins name with daughter McKenzie. "I love it, it's very home feeling," McKenzie said. "This is what I'm going to do, I definitely want to make some changes. I think we need more room, it has expanded so much... that is the plan to grow and get bigger, and hopefully, I can carry on more generations after this." While they man the store together, she's still pickin' up tricks from her old man. "He's very outgoing and he's funny and he does, he remembers what people drink," McKenzie said. "People could come in and say what does so and so drink (they're getting them a gift) and he's like 'she drinks this chardonnay' or 'this Moscato' or whatever, it's really cool." Even though she hasn't expanded the store yet, there are some changes from the 5th generation. You can go into the shop and order a "Jimmy Special" or something a generation newer, a "McKenzie Special." "We all have our own little favorites. This one is corned beef, smoked gouda, banana peppers, onions, honey mustard and mayonnaise," Jim said. "Voila, Jim special." "It's Hawaiian ham and salami, pepper jack cheese on oatmeal bread with lettuce, pickle and mayonnaise... it's a good sandwich," McKenzie said.
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