Although the shop is closing its doors for good, the family-owned German restaurant connected to it will stay open.
Friday, February 21, 2025 11:15PM
Kemberly Richardson has more on the closure of Stammtisch Pork Store.
GLENDALE, Queens (WABC) — Customers inside Stammtisch Pork Store in Queens are stocking up this week — as the deli’s time is running out.
The beloved shop, packed full of items from Germany, will close on Mar. 1 after serving the community for 14 years.
The shop is considered a cut above the rest by its loyal customers.
“Without this, there’s nothing anymore, nothing,” said Claire Albert. “I’m sad about that.”
Sarah Grote said her first request after giving birth was a bologna sandwich from the butcher.
“My kids love this stuff,” acknowledged Grote. “I grew up eating it. They’ve now grown up eating this German food and we’ll miss it.”
There are also specialty meats made locally by German butchers.
Hans Lehner and his brother Werner opened the deli that is part gift shop in 2011.
“We have so many things coming in straight from Germany,” Hans said. “A lot of times we order things that don’t even come for a couple of weeks cause it’s still on the boat or in the loading dock.”
But in the end, they said the numbers just weren’t adding up due to the rising cost of imports and changing demographics in the area.
“Back in the day, we had a large influx of German and Polish Europeans who we mostly cater to for the niche products, and that wave of immigrants stopped coming,” Lehner added.
In 1972 the family opened a connected restaurant Zum Stammtisch in 1972. Business is booming there and it will stay open.
“We really have so many different people from different cultures that come to try German food, so the restaurant, thank God, is going strong,” Lehner said. “Like we say, everything has an end, except the wurst — it has two.”
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Although the shop is closing its doors for good, the family-owned German restaurant connected to it will stay open.
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