John Brown's Store
John Brown's Store
Shawan and Falls roads, Hunt Valley. Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Deli closes an hour earlier.
Phone: (410) 785-2660. Fax: (410) 785-9761.
John Brown's Store, named for a long-ago proprietor, not thcurrent owner, serves food as diverse as the mix of customers attracted to the stone building on the rim of Worthington Valley horse country west of Hunt Valley Industrial Park.
The store, which features a full-service deli, catches morning commuters -- construction workers particularly like to get an early start. Breakfast includes coffee and five varieties of egg sandwiches from the basic scrambled at $1 up to Virginia baked ham and egg for $1.95, cheese extra on all.
Depending on the weather and such, the clientele might include suits from the industrial park, trainers and groomers from nearby horse farms, locals and, on weekends, spandexed bicycle riders out for a country spin. A few tables are inside and picnic tables are on the lawn.
Two personal favorites on the deli menu are: tuna salad ($3.49) on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise; pastrami ($3.29) on rye with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard and a bit of mayo. All sandwiches have four ounces of meat and a slice of pickle; tomato and cheese are extra. For dessert, first choice is blondies ($1.20), second and/or third a bag of Otterbein's sugar cookies or a box of Berger's chocolate cremes.
Sixteen sandwiches/subs are on the menu plus four "speciality" sandwiches (mainly clubs at $4.25), trays of vegetables ($1.40) and cheese ($2.65), and chef salad ($3 and $3.95).
Owner Bob Shriver "took over" eight years ago, renovated the store, changed the name as a homage to John G. Brown, who ran the place 55 years, and opened in April 1985. It has been a popular spot ever since.