Road Trip: Michigan’s First Pickle Shop Is Open

For some strange reason over the past few years my taste buds went through some crazy change and now I'm in love with dill pickles. So when I saw Michigan's first pickle shop opened I got stoked. Now, it's a bit of a hike from Kalamazoo, located in Au Gres, MI on the east side of the state. But Freakin' Pickles looks so worth the drive if you're planning a trip or live near there. It's Michigan's first gourmet pickle shop.

The owners made the announcement on Facebook on August 31st and saw a response over Labor Day weekend:

We are overwhelmed with GRATITUDE for how insanely busy we have been every day since our opening this past Monday! Thank you, thank you, thank you to every single pickle fan who has driven from near and far to come support our “small” gourmet pickle biz. We are incredibly grateful. With that said, you have all FAR EXCEEDED our expectations with sales this weekend.

Here is the list of the dozen different pickles they have and the description of each kind:

Double Dill: 
A thicker chip, like the old-fashion chip, but pickled twice, providing a stronger dill taste

Old-Fashion:
Old-fashion dill is just like your classic hamburger dill with a great crunch

Garlic: 
A dill chip mixed with fresh ground garlic

Hot Garlic: 
Just like the garlic dill chip mixed with fresh ground garlic, jalapeños are added, supplying a great balance of flavor and heat

Extra Hot Garlic: 
Same recipe as the hot garlic - we then add habaneros to give it that extra kick

Flaming Dill: 
A thinner dill chip with a great dill bite to start, finishing with a chili pepper heat that kicks in and carries

Bread & Butter: 
Your basic sweet pickle - just like your grandma used to make

Hot Bread & Butter: 
A delicious sweet pickle that packs some surprising heat

Horseradish: 
The horseradish starts as a sweet pickle followed by a strong horseradish tang

Thick-N-Sweet:
It’s name speaks for itself - the thickest, sweetest pickle chip we serve

Sweet Heat: 
The thickest chip we have - it starts sweet and finishes with heat - adding cauliflower, pearl onions, and jalapeños gives it the perfect kick

Veggie Mix:
A vinegar-based veggie mix that has cauliflower, celery, carrots, and a small amount of pepperoncini and red peppers - the mix of vinegar and peppers gives it a great bite.