I'm taking a road trip to a place that every year has a wonderful Easter display. It's also a place where people will drive for miles to see its annual Christmas display. Where am I going? I bet you already know.

That's right. I've arrived at Kraynak's in the City of Hermitage in Mercer County.  A trip to Kraynak's has long been an annual tradition for families in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio at Eastertime and Christmastime. The store sets up a marvelous display during each of those seasons. Dan Zippie is Kraynak’s general manager. He says many people travel from Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.

"They would come back year after year at least one day to see the display,” says Dan. “Even if it's one day for the Christmas display and then make a journey to Hermitage to see the Easter display as well."

Dan is the grandson of founder John Kraynak. The lawn and garden store first opened in 1949. In 1961, Mr. Kraynak had the idea of putting up a big Christmas display. He wanted to attract people to the store during the slow fall and winter season. The visitors loved it.

"Once we started it, they would come back year after year and say, 'What's new in the display?’ because we change the displays each year,” says Dan.

The store began putting up an annual Easter display in the mid 1980s.  I'm here to see this year's edition. The 300 foot display begins with a bevy of lively bunnies surrounded by colorful Easter eggs and bright flowers and trees. As you walk past other sections of the display, you see that those sections are not exactly Easter related.  However, they are a wonderful salute to spring. There's bears, bees, butterflies, and animal superheroes. You can take a trip “Down on the Farm” and “Under the Sea.” There’s much, much more.

Many of the characters are animated. Every bit of the work is done by store employees.

"One of the things that we're very proud of is that we have talented staff that is challenged to come up with new ideas. But they enjoy it,” says Dan. “We always say, 'What can we do next year to make it different?"

The store does not forget the true meaning of Easter. The display ends with The Last Supper, the crosses on Calvary, and the empty tomb. Wow!  A trip to Kraynak's really is a nice tradition. It makes me wonder how many people walk through here every year.

We get that question a lot,” says Dan. “I don't know. Thousands and thousands."

Kraynak's is located at 2525 East State Street in Hermitage. It's open daily from 9am to 9pm except on Sundays when the hours are from 10 am to 5pm.