Located on the outskirts of the Antelope Valley desert that is Little Rock, Ca (yes, California has a Little Rick) is a little known place called Charlie Brown Farms. It’s a place with a character all it’s own and an eccentric and unique inventory of products, perfect for the patron unsure of what to buy…but certain that it should be memorable. It is hard to categorize what kind of establishment it is. I would say it’s part farmers market, part restaurant with a splash of gift shop/ antique shop thrown in. It’s a bit of everything, which is why it’s so easy to spend a couple of hours just browsing the store and taking it all in.
I honestly can’t recall the first time I stepped foot in Charlie Brown Farms, or what prompted me to go there. But ever since I always had the urge to go back. Their products range from various flavors of beef jerky, to almost any type of candy or chocolate you can think of…past or present. As you walk in through the front door, to the right is the restaurant where they offer an a large menu of smoothies, shakes, BBQ, Funnel Cake, deep friend Oreos and Twinkies etc. Anything you can think of…they probably have it. You almost feel guilty leaving the place without trying at least one item from their huge menu.
Once you’re able to pry yourself away from the delicious treats, you find that Charlie Brown Farms doesn’t just cater to those with an extreme sweet tooth, but also offers a large selection of nuts and trail mixes as well. You’re almost forced to take your time and examine all of the labels and different types of EVERYTHING they have of you’re kind of doing yourself a disservice. You can but a lot of their products by the pack or weight it out and buy it by the pound as well. Some items can get a bit pricey, but most of what they sell is very reasonable and won’t deter the average shopper from trying something that they may not be 100% sure about.
When I first frequented Charlie Browns Farms, they actually had a room in the back with a bar that they used for wine tasting. They had a good selection or local wines and customers could rest and try a few before stumbling back out into the store to continue shopping. That was actually my favorite part before they converted that space into a room for sodas and root beers.
As you make your way to the back of the store you’ll start noticing the shift from edibles to antiques and gifts (which can get a little weird at times) which almost seems like a totally different place entirely. You can find anything from figurines to incense to life size animal statues. It really does become of world of it’s own. They even have a 3 to 4 room section in the very back that holds hundreds of dolls…for those who are in to that kind of thing. Even if it’s not, you still may want to wander back there just to check it out. It’s a unique experience and I think it’s something that’s been recently added in the past couple of years.
Charlie Brown Farms is actually comprised of a couple of buildings and once you reach the end of the main building, it breaks off into another that houses a lot of home decor type products. You’ll find some I Love Lucy memorabilia as well as presidential and military items. If you are looking for African Art and statues, they have that too. If you’re not careful you can find yourself buying items and realizing you actually have no place to store then once you get home. So definitely browse, but exercise restraint if you don’t have to space.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more unique place especially if you are looking for a great gift for someone or if you are passing through the Antelope Valley and need a place to stop and grab a bite and some sweets before jumping back on the road. Just know that once you do, at some point you will have the urge to return.
