Customers flock to new German grocery store near Junction City

JUNCTION CITY (KSNT) – A new store with a big focus on German food and culture is open to customers near Junction City.

27 News got in touch with Susanna Richie, owner of Der Deutsche Laden, to learn more about her new business. Her store, which translates to The German Store in English, opened on June 6 and can be found at 126 West Flint Hills Boulevard in Grandview Plaza.

Richie moved to Junction City in 2013 but originally hails from Germany. She said she misses going to the bakery or the butcher in the mornings. She hopes her store can help fill that gap in the local area and help people try out German flavors.

“You can find anything from authentic German sauerkraut, chocolate, different kinds of spices, potato dumplings, German bratwurst, Nürnberger bratwurst, different German sandwiches, cakes,” Richie told 27 News.

Richie said it is difficult to find any stores in the local area with a specific German focus. She said she has driven as far as Colorado before to find what she needs, or has had to purchase things online.

“Everybody that came here said this is what we needed here,” Richie said. “I’ve got people in here who are like kids in a candy store.”

The German Store hit it off big with locals in its opening week as posts began to circulate on social media. Richie said her store’s inventory was cleaned out only a few days after it opened and that she has received a lot of visitors.

“They [customers] can go ahead and come here, get good customer service and find what they’re looking for,” Richie said.

Richie’s store is currently a small one-woman operation. However, she hopes to expand it in the days ahead by adding a bakery and a deli to give customers more options.

People who are looking to work at The German Store or learn more about what it has to offer can check out its website or send an email to derdeutscheladen@gmail.com. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more local eats news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf