Darke County offers residents and visitors the best in dining and shopping opportunities. Whether you prefer the uniqueness of locally-owned shops and restaurants or the convenience of nationally-known chains, you will find your needs met here.

If fine dining is your pleasure, Darke County has the setting for you. Among the dining delights found locally are The Inn at Versailles in Versailles, Fairlawn Steak House in Greenville, and The Golden Lantern in Russia.

Family dining can be enjoyed at Bob Evans Farms, CJ HiMarks, Wills Family Dining, Gallagher's and Montage, all in Greenville as well as Fort Black Buffet in New Madison. If fast food is your choice, you'll find national chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Subway, Domino's and Marco's Pizza, Wendy's and Chicken Kitchen II.

Not to be missed on a visit to Darke County, is the world-famous MaidRite. This steamed ground beef sandwich has prompted serious debate for many years as to the secret ingredients used to flavor this unique filling. Beware - this sandwich is habit forming!

Whether you are looking for clothes or appliances, local retailers are able to meet your needs.

Interested in antiques? Then the village of Arcanum is a "must stop" for you. The community boasts several small antique and collectible shops in a three block area.

For leisurly shopping enjoyment, the village of Versailles is the place to be. Shoppers can browse the unique collectibles offered before enjoying lunch or dinner at the Inn of Versailles.

The county seat, Greenville, offers three distinct shopping districts: historic downtown Greenville, strip mall shopping along Wagner Avenue and independent stores along Sweitzer Street.

Downtown you will find specialty shops for women's clothing, jewelry, musical instruments, coffees and chocolates and books, along with locally made crafts and collectibles. Shoppers can enjoy the day by stopping to rest at one of the dining spots downtown or enjoy watching fellow shoppers walk by while sitting on one of the many park benches located on Broadway.

Those looking for national chains will find WalMart, J.C. Penney's, Kmart, and Staples located on Wagner Avenue with fast food outlets and locally owned restaurants nearby.

Darke County is one of the top agricultural counties in Ohio. Major farm products are soybeans, corn, hogs, poultry, livestock, wheat, dairy products, and beef cattle. The country's 347,000 acres of farmland are dividided into 2,000 farms. The average farm is 173 acres.

In 2000, Darke County ranked second in the state of Ohio for total ag receipts with $220,601,000. Darke County was first in soybean and corn production and ranked second in hog and poultry production.

Industries located in Darke County share the advantages of being within 500 miles of almost half of the nation's population and having convenient transportation connections to all prominent Midwestern cities. Close proximity to Dayton International Airport brings Darke County into the mainstrain of all the nation's business. The Darke County Airport, located near Versailles, provides landing facilities for small aircraft, including corporate jets. Darke County is served by R.J. Corman Railroad and several interstate truck lines.

Greenville Industrial Park is located on State Route 571 at Jaysville-St. Johns Road. Current occupants of the 200+ acrea complex include Greenville Technology Inc., Service Beauty Supply, TXI Communications, and Monsanto Research.

International and national companies with facilities in DArke County include Honeywell/Allied Signal, BASF, Whirlpool/KitchenAid, Greiff Bros./VanLeer Containers and Midmark Corporation.