Mid-Michigan Dining

• 211 E. Front St.
• Traverse City, MI 49684
• 800-286-7209
• Website

The Cherry Stop in downtown Traverse City

Well, I guess would couldn’t actually go to Traverse City without stopping in one Cherry related tourist trap.  When we were waiting for our meals at The Cooks House (review HERE), I grabbed a Traverse City dining magazine that was sitting on the window ledge.  In it, they had ads and articles for a number of businesses in the area.  J noticed one called The Cherry Store which was just a few blocks from where we were.  We were going to walk around downtown anyway, so we just kept an eye out for this store.

We found the Cherry Store on Front St right in the heart of the downtown business district.  The store is exactly what you think it is.  It’s cherries from floor to ceiling.  Everything on the shelves had cherries in it somehow.  Dried cherries, chocolate covered cherries, cherry salsa, cherry BBQ sauce, cherry Dijon mustard.  If they could figure out a way to put a cherry it in, it was there. 

If some of that stuff sounds disgusting, don’t worry, they have jars of all their products out with a basket of pretzels or crackers so you can actually sample before buying.  I wasn’t very brave, but J tried quite a bit and said most of it didn’t taste like cherries.  A lot of it was actually very good.  She tried a Cherry Chipotle BBQ sauce that she said didn’t have a cherry taste at all. It just cooled down the chipotle. 

The Cherry Stop along Front St in Traverse City

The middle of the shop is full of tourist souvenirs.  If you ever wanted an apron with the State of Michigan on it, they have it.  We passed.  I don’t need anymore shot glasses.

The back of the store is a little wine bar.  There are racks of Michigan wines including Madonna’s and the Cherry Stops own Cherry Wine.  There was a tasting bar in the back of the room where a few people were sampling, but neither of us are really wine drinkers.

At the counter, they have some fudge, ice cream, and hand pulled cherry sodas.  I think J didn’t see the soda or I’m sure she would have gotten some.  I wanted fudge, but I figured we’d find a candy shop somewhere else.  She ended up buying some sour gummie cherries which she has been snacking on since.  It wasn’t too bad.  The 8 oz bag was $2.75 and 8 oz is quite a bit of candy and she snacked on it for several days.

The Cherry Stop is neat, but it’s nothing but a tourist trap.  People go to Traverse City and they have to come away with a cherry souvenier….this is the place to go.