SF’s Lehr German specialties to reopen under new ownership
After nearly 50 years as San Francisco’s hub for sausages, jams, chocolates and other unique treats imported from Germany, news of Lehr’s German Specialties’ abrupt closure in August didn’t sit well with Hannah Seyfert. , one of the store’s loyal customers.
Seyfert, who moved from Germany to San Francisco in 2016, frequented Lehr’s for a taste of “heimat,” or home, finding solace in familiar items such as fruit teas, sauerkraut and jagdwurst, a cooked sausage made from finely minced pork that can be sliced for lunch meat.
So Seyfert called the store’s owner, Brigitte Lehr, and after the two spoke on the phone, and again in person, Seyfert ended up buying the Noe Valley store on September 10. It is expected to reopen in mid-November, just in time for the holiday season.
Hannah Seyfert, left, recently purchased Lehr’s German Specialties from Brigitte Lehr, center. The two are pictured with longtime Lehr employee Ingrid, who worked for the store for 18 years.
Courtesy of Hannah Seyfert
“She was really excited about someone continuing the business. It was very clear that I wanted to keep the name, keep the location,” Seyfert said. It’s really important for me to represent my country in a city that I love so much.”
As Seyfert began sprucing up the store’s interior, which includes new coats of paint and new flooring, she said she deliberately left the doors open so that walking residents could take a peek. look inside and introduce yourself. Seyfert also inscribed a number of handwritten signs on the store windows telling the neighborhood that Lehr’s is “always your go-to place for German delicacies” and to follow his Instagram page for updates.
Almost instantly, she says, residents stopped by Lehr to thank her for keeping the small specialty shop open. They described the area as “Little Germany”, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, with butchers, bakeries and restaurants such as Speckmann’s serving locals.
“Honestly, I’m quite honored to be able to carry on this legacy. It means so much to so many people, and the customers came from Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, like everywhere,” Seyfert said. “[Brigitte] told me that she was even recognized in Frankfurt at the airport by people she had never seen before. So it’s a legend.
Lehrs German Specialties will be back just in time for the holiday season.
Courtesy of S. Utting
Lehrs German Specialties is expected to reopen in November.
Courtesy of S. Utting
Lehr’s German specialties are set to reopen in November. (Courtesy of S. Utting)
According to Seyfert, the reason Lehr retired after nearly 50 years was due to vision loss. Lehr has operated the store since the mid-1970s, when she took over the German specialty store with her late husband. The store was founded in 1953 by Hans Speckmann, known as the man behind Speckmann’s, a former German deli and beertube on Church Street.
As we approach the upcoming grand reopening in November, Seyfert said customers can expect many of the same familiar comforts and new additions from local companies specializing in German recipes such as Melo Bread, a duo mother-son which is mainly aimed at the home. deliveries and also sells at Bay Area Farmers Markets.
Lehrs German Specialties is expected to reopen in November.
Courtesy of S. Utting“Their bread is so good. The buns are super good. I haven’t found comparable, amazing buns in the Bay Area,” she said. “They are very close to what you get in Germany.”
There’s also Wurstmeister Benz, a family-run sausage maker from Copperopolis in the Sierra Nevada foothills known for its sausages, which are “super popular in the German community,” Seyfert said.
“There are so many different cultures in San Francisco, and I really want to show that German is more than just an Oktoberfest,” she said. “There are so many really cool small-batch artisan food startups in Germany that I want to support.”
Lehr’s German specialties were purchased by Hannah Seyfert, a former customer of the Noe Valley store.
Courtesy of S. UttingThese companies include Goldhelm Schokolade, which makes handmade chocolates and is not yet available in the United States. If you visit the store’s website, Seyfert has launched a community wishlist, where customers can choose the products they want to see sold once Lehr’s reopens this fall.
With such community enthusiasm for Lehr’s return, Seyfert said she was very proud to not only continue the store’s legacy, but also to keep the store open for others to find their own taste of “heimat.” in San Francisco.
“The neighbors are amazing. Most of them have been around for 15, 20, 40 years and they grew up in this store. I spoke to a neighbor; her name is Janet. She’s really, really nice. She told me that she always stopped by the store when she was a kid, and bought chocolates from Brigitte, and she has so many memories with that store,” she said. “For me to hear all these stories is really gratifying because of all the neighbors stopping by and saying, ‘Thank you for continuing. Thank you for not letting it become another Starbucks.’”
Coming soon: Lehr’s German Specialties, 1581 Church St., San Francisco. The reopening is scheduled for mid-November. Follow Lehr’s Instagram page for updates.
