Post by Park Sung Jetson on Jun 10, 2023 17:11:09 GMT
Mentioning Auntie Ann's pretzels in my description of a dying mall reminded me of some personal history.
Auntie Ann's Pretzels was started by an Amish couple, Jonas and "Auntie" Ann Beiler. (Beiler is the quintessential Amish name, for those who do not know.) They started in 1988 with just a food truck from their farm in Downingtown, PA.
One of my earliest jobs was in a small department store about 8 miles from Downingtown. I worked in Sporting Goods selling rifle ammunition and basketballs and tent pegs and issuing hunting licenses. Pocket knives, slingshots, BB guns, fishing reels, croquet sets in little cedar wood carts-- you get the idea.
The Beilers brought their food cart to the store parking lot every Friday and Saturday. You could get 2 pretzels and a large cup of lemonade for $1.25, or 2 pretzels for fifty cents. The lemonade was homemade, too. Not some cynical corporate "awww shucks, ain't we just so Country, y'all!" bullshit homemade, but actually homemade in Ann Beiler's kitchen. It still had all the lemon pulp floating in it.
At the end of the day, when they were cleaning up and getting ready to go home, they'd sell the leftovers for a quarter a bag. There were times I took 2 dozen soft pretzels home for about $1.
The Beilers sold the franchise in 2005 for millions. Interestingly, they ditched their Amish beliefs when the money started pouring in. Whatever else can be said about wealth, it doesn't make prioritizing God any easier.
Nowadays, the corporate vampires who bought it have the audacity to charge $3.50 for one pretzel. Their most expensive 'combo' is $9 and change. You can still get a full burger combo at Whataburger for $9. You're outta your ever lovin' minds, assholes. ( Hint: the combo is supposed to be cheaper. Not more money. Less money. See?)
If you're ever in Lancaster County, PA, go to the Green Dragon farmers market on a Friday. There's an Amish guy there making stuffed soft pretzels. He fills them with scrambled eggs and bacon, ham and cheese, brisket... $5 per pretzel, and honestly my breakfast pretzel filled me up for the day. It eats like a full meal. Go get one.
You won't regret it.
Auntie Ann's Pretzels was started by an Amish couple, Jonas and "Auntie" Ann Beiler. (Beiler is the quintessential Amish name, for those who do not know.) They started in 1988 with just a food truck from their farm in Downingtown, PA.
One of my earliest jobs was in a small department store about 8 miles from Downingtown. I worked in Sporting Goods selling rifle ammunition and basketballs and tent pegs and issuing hunting licenses. Pocket knives, slingshots, BB guns, fishing reels, croquet sets in little cedar wood carts-- you get the idea.
The Beilers brought their food cart to the store parking lot every Friday and Saturday. You could get 2 pretzels and a large cup of lemonade for $1.25, or 2 pretzels for fifty cents. The lemonade was homemade, too. Not some cynical corporate "awww shucks, ain't we just so Country, y'all!" bullshit homemade, but actually homemade in Ann Beiler's kitchen. It still had all the lemon pulp floating in it.
At the end of the day, when they were cleaning up and getting ready to go home, they'd sell the leftovers for a quarter a bag. There were times I took 2 dozen soft pretzels home for about $1.
The Beilers sold the franchise in 2005 for millions. Interestingly, they ditched their Amish beliefs when the money started pouring in. Whatever else can be said about wealth, it doesn't make prioritizing God any easier.
Nowadays, the corporate vampires who bought it have the audacity to charge $3.50 for one pretzel. Their most expensive 'combo' is $9 and change. You can still get a full burger combo at Whataburger for $9. You're outta your ever lovin' minds, assholes. ( Hint: the combo is supposed to be cheaper. Not more money. Less money. See?)
If you're ever in Lancaster County, PA, go to the Green Dragon farmers market on a Friday. There's an Amish guy there making stuffed soft pretzels. He fills them with scrambled eggs and bacon, ham and cheese, brisket... $5 per pretzel, and honestly my breakfast pretzel filled me up for the day. It eats like a full meal. Go get one.
You won't regret it.
