This Athens Hidden Gem Sells Amazing Local Products

Photos provided by White’s Mill

Mickey Fath

For locals, Athens would be incomplete without the iconic white exterior and striking red roof of White’s Mill, a hidden gem for finding the best local products in town. The mill has sat peacefully on the banks of the Hocking River for over two centuries, nestled around vibrant green foliage and rushing water.

The mill was built in the early 1800s with a mission to be a profitable grain milling business in the Athens area. Over two decades later, the historical site remains, but has since been transformed into a popular retail center for home and garden products and locally-produced goods.

In 1809, Joseph Herrold built a massive mill with three grinding stones, used for grinding grain, and ran the milling business up until 1912, when it was sold to the White family. The Herrold family was well-known in Athens. Herrold’s stepfather, Silas Bingham, lived in the oldest remaining house in Athens, known today as the Silas Bingham House, which now houses Ohio University’s Office of Sustainability.

“When the Herrolds were selling the mill, [the White’s] saw an opportunity to come here,” White’s Mill co-owner Tyler Schloss says. “They took advantage of it, and they became very good community members and contributed a lot to Athens.”

A year after the White family began running the business, the mill tragically burned to the ground due to a grain fire, a common occurrence with grain mills during that time period. To combat the tragedy, the Whites disassembled a mill in Meigs county and reassembled it in Athens, successfully saving the business altogether in 1913.

According to the White’s Mill website, the process of bringing a new mill to Athens was anything but easy. The timbers of the old mill were marked and the mill was disassembled, put on barges that were pulled by oxen, brought to Athens and constructed where it stands now.

Even through the tough transition, the parts of the new mill were sturdy enough to last over 100 years later. Today, the age of the mill is visible, as the anatomy of the mill resembles historic trends.

“It's pretty neat because that mill was from the 1850s, so all our timbers and other parts of the mill from that era, like the hand-hewn beams,” Schloss says. “You can just tell it’s really old and significant. But, the new mill had just one grinding stone, so it was just a bit smaller.”

As time passed, the dam washed out and the mill needed a new purpose. Mike Toomey, a relative to the White family, purchased the mill in the ’90s and shifted the business into a home, pet and garden retailer with local products as well.

The current co-owners, Schloss and Rodney Dowler, both worked at the mill for a combined total of 30 years before Toomey sold White’s Mill to the two men in 2016. Although the co-owners are not blood-related to the White family, Schloss jokes that the mill is a part of their DNA.

Athens residents have gained fond memories of the mill over the course of its extensive history. Jeannie Jeffers recalls going to White’s Mill many years ago as a young 4-H student to purchase horse feed. Years later, the tables have turned, and Jeffers is the one selling her products at White’s Mill.

After creating candles in the laundry room of her home, Jeffers realized her candle making hobby could be turned into a legitimate business, leading her to establish JJ’s Candles in 2015. Jeffers says White’s Mill was key in helping kick start her new business.

“I started a few years ago, making candles, and I asked White’s Mill if they would be willing to carry them,” she says. “They are the nicest people; the most community-minded people that you would ever want to work with or have in your community. I absolutely love being associated with them.”

Today, the two owners have provided Athens locals, like Jeffers, with a center to not only purchase local goods, but a place where vendors can grow their businesses. With a welcoming attitude, Schloss says that they are willing to try out just about anything on the shelves. This has made the mill’s vendor list very diverse, featuring anything from Sticky Pete’s local maple syrup to Native American jewelry.

“There's a lot of great artists in Athens: potters, jewelry makers, basket makers, candle makers and everything you can imagine to try to get locally made,” Schloss says. “It's been a good little side of the business, so that's kind of where we stand now.”

It is clear that both Schloss and Dowler have carried on the good-intentioned known reputation of White’s Mill. As for the future, Schloss says they will continue to support Athens vendors and local talent, allowing White’s Mill to grow organically as a business for years to come.

“It's a kind of a living, moving thing,” he says.

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