Bigfoot probably doesn’t come to mind when you think about c-stores. There is perhaps one exception, the Blue Creek General Store in Blue Creek, Ohio.
The store owner, Patel, bought Blue Creek General Store three years ago. He inherited a Bigfoot statue that stands right by the front door.
The Bigfoot connection traces back to a few years ago when a hunter supposedly saw Bigfoot in the area.
“People believe Bigfoot is around here. We haven’t found it yet. We have lots of people looking for it. Hunters put up cameras and recorders for the deer during hunting season. Those will also pick up Bigfoot,” explained Patel. He says one recording didn’t sound like any animal he knows of. “There’s a lot of noise in the forest at night, but you can tell the difference with this one.”
Bigfoot-Sized Portions
One place you can always find a Bigfoot: The menu at Blue Creek General Store.
The most popular item at the store is the Bigfoot sub. It’s made with seasoned ham, eight strips of bacon, pepperoni, salami and capicola. Then it’s baked in the oven and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, banana peppers, onions and Italian dressing.
“People like to try it. It’s a big sandwich for a good price. You have to be hungry to eat it,” said Patel.
The pizzas are also a bit bigger at the store. A large pizza is 18 inches instead of 16 inches. “Our pizzas are pretty famous,” Patel said.
A standout pizza is the Grippo’s barbecue pizza. Grippo’s is a Cincinnati-based snack food company. “We start with Grippo’s barbecue seasoning, then top it with mozzarella cheese, chicken and add barbecue sauce. When it comes out of the oven, we add crushed Grippo’s chips on the crust.”
Other popular pizzas include the chicken bacon ranch pizza, buffalo chicken pizza and meat lovers pizza.
Chili served with a peanut butter sandwich on the side might be the most unexpected thing on the menu. It’s a combination that is traditional in parts of the Midwest and Appalachia, and it’s a customer favorite at Blue Creek General Store.
“We offer fresh food and always have fresh ideas for the customers,” Patel said.
A Destination for Tourists and Regulars
Shawnee State Park is nearby. “Tourists come to my store. There’s no other store around, just mine,” Patel said. Even though he doesn’t have competition nearby, Patel keeps prices reasonable. “I need to ensure that my year-round customers are taken care of. If they cannot afford the prices, I lose the business. The area has few jobs. So if I want them to keep coming, the prices can’t be too much for their pockets,” he said.
The store also has a small area for children to play, with canopies and picnic tables. “A lot of people come for picnics. Customers order, go outside and we bring the food to them,” Patel said.
Blue Creek General Store is also a Case knife dealer. “We have them starting at $25, going up to $400. We have about $35,000 to $40,000 worth of knives in stock,” Patel said. The knives make the store a destination for gifts, especially around Christmas.
“We carry hardware, camping items, RV supplies, plumbing, automotive items … we’re like a mini-Walmart,” said Patel. “Every time you walk into the store you will find something new, eat something new, try something new.”