For generations of Mercer County residents and visitors, a trip to Kraynak’s has been connected to the changing seasons. Families visit Santa’s Christmasland during the holidays, walk through Easter Bunny Lane in the spring, browse the greenhouse as warmer weather arrives, and shop for plants and outdoor supplies throughout the growing season.
These experiences have helped Kraynak’s become part of many family traditions, but the story began with a practical focus on plants, landscaping, and gardening.
Kraynak’s was established in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, in 1949 by John Kraynak Sr. The original purpose of the business was to operate as a lawn and garden center, providing plants, trees, shrubs, and related supplies to customers throughout the region.
Over time, the family-owned business expanded beyond its gardening roots. The main retail store added seasonal decorations, toys, gifts, fresh-cut flowers, greenhouse plants, candy, and other merchandise. A separate lawn and garden center was developed approximately 1,000 feet behind the main store, while additional nursery locations were used to grow trees and shrubs for retail and wholesale customers.
Today, Kraynak’s operates through three primary divisions: the main retail store, the lawn and garden center, and six nursery locations. While each part of the business serves a different purpose, the seasonal displays inside the main store have become some of its most recognized features.
Santa’s Christmasland began in 1963, when John Kraynak Sr. created a holiday display to attract customers during the lawn and garden business’s slower season. What started as a retail idea gradually developed into an annual experience for families from Mercer County, western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and beyond.
The display grew into a 300-foot indoor walkway filled with decorated Christmas trees, themed scenery, lights, and animated characters. Each tree is designed around a particular theme, with surrounding props and scenes helping to connect the displays along the route.
Rather than setting up the same arrangement each year, employees develop new scenes and decorating concepts. Planning can begin as early as January. Props are created during the spring, trees begin going into place during the summer, and members of the floral and design teams decorate them before the display opens for the season. The work involves employees from several departments across the store.
Santa’s Christmasland traditionally opens on September 10 and continues through December 31. Admission to the walk-through display is free, which has helped make repeat visits accessible to families over the decades.
One reason Santa’s Christmasland has remained part of the community is its connection to family memories. Many adults who visited as children now return with their own children or grandchildren. Others who have moved away from the area include Kraynak’s in their plans when coming home for the holidays.
The changing displays give returning guests something different to notice each year. Themes may feature winter scenes, snowmen, gingerbread settings, animals, toys, or Santa in a new location. The walk traditionally concludes with a Nativity scene, maintaining a feature that has been meaningful to many longtime visitors.
The trees and decorations also serve a practical purpose. Guests can gather ideas for their own holiday decorating, and many of the trees, ornaments, and seasonal items featured in the displays are available for purchase. That combination of experience and shopping reflects the display’s original role in supporting the store during the colder months.
Kraynak’s seasonal history is not limited to Christmas. Each year, the store also presents Easter Bunny Lane, another free, 300-foot indoor display.
Easter Bunny Lane is typically open from February 20 through the Monday following Easter. The walkway features colorful trees, spring blossoms, animated characters, and themed scenes created to mark the arrival of a new season.
Like Santa’s Christmasland, the spring display changes from year to year. Families can walk through the scenes, browse the seasonal departments, explore the toy selection, and shop for plants, gifts, candy, flowers, and Easter decorations.
Together, the two displays have made Kraynak’s a place that families may visit more than once during the year. Christmasland marks the start of holiday planning for many guests, while Easter Bunny Lane offers an indoor seasonal activity as winter begins giving way to spring.
Although its holiday displays receive much of the attention, Kraynak’s continues to reflect its lawn-and-garden beginnings.
The lawn and garden center carries trees, flowering and ornamental shrubs, fountains, pond supplies, statuary, outdoor furniture, patio products, and other landscaping materials. Kraynak’s also grows nursery stock through its nursery division, continuing the plant-focused work that began with the business in 1949.
The main store adds another part of the experience with toys, candy, gifts, home decorations, fresh-cut flowers, greenhouse plants, and seasonal merchandise. These departments allow visitors to make a Kraynak’s stop part of a shopping trip, even when Christmasland or Easter Bunny Lane is not open.
Kraynak’s is located at 2525 East State Street in Hermitage, PA. Its location makes it an easy addition to a Mercer County day trip, seasonal shopping outing, or weekend visit.
Guests planning a trip should check the current store hours, display dates, Santa or Easter Bunny schedules, and holiday closures directly through Kraynak’s before traveling. Hours and character visit schedules may vary throughout the year.
After walking through a seasonal display, visitors can continue exploring Hermitage and the surrounding Shenango Valley. Local restaurants, shops, parks, attractions, and nearby communities offer several ways to extend the trip and spend more time in Mercer County.
What began as a lawn and garden business in 1949 has grown into a year-round destination shaped by plants, retail, seasonal creativity, and family participation. More than six decades after Santa’s Christmasland first opened, Kraynak’s remains connected to the traditions that bring many visitors back to Hermitage with each new season.
