By Mary Ellen Graybill

From Shifters to T-Shirts, 55 Years of Service to Columbia at Andy’s Market

Andy Ohrel and Joan Miller display the photo of US soldiers wearing the Andys shirts. (Photo by Mary Ellen Graybill)

Since he was a nine year old lad, the eldest of five children, Andy Ohrel, learned the trade of running a market in a small town, and now, 55 years since the founding of the market by his parents, the customers are staying and Andy is happy.

“Why would you go anywhere else?” said Barry Rhoads, a realtor in the area, and regular customer. The main reason he shops there is so he can get fresh deli meats, and fresh cut products.

“It’s just nice and handy to have, and you’re getting fresh quality meat.” said Rhoads. 

The popular shifter sandwich, at $3.00 for a big helping of turkey or ham and your choice of cheese and lettuce, tomato and onion on a very fresh potato roll is a big seller, named for the days when Columbia’s factory workers had a brief shift break and would need a quick meal.

Family owned and operated

“I’m glad we’re at where we’re at,” said Andy. “We have a family tradition, and I work every day at 64.”

After some medical concerns, he has changed his diet, and plans on staying at the market, perhaps one day in the far future selling it to a member of his loyal staff.

“It’s not for sale. We don’t wanna’ sell it,” he said.

Selling everything from apples and oranges to meats, subs and sandwiches to candy has kept the store stocked with plenty of customers. The products and a lot of caring by Andy and his cousin, Joan Snyder, who has been working at the store for 35 years, have kept the shoppers coming back.

“My whole life, I was in the US Army, one job only … and I love Columbia,” he said.

The store was a dry goods store at the turn of the century. Julie Melbert, Andy’s paternal great aunt closed the store in 1954, and after 2 years vacancy, and then Andy’s parents bought it. Andy, the eldest son got to see first-hand what it was like to run a store.

He liked the work.

“Originally, back in the late 50’s and early 60’s, I started sortin’ bottles, and as you would get older you did a little bit more. I’d run the register, when I went to grade school at St Peter’s (Catholic School) nearby.”

“I could count money before the other kids could. I was giving them change. We were like the hangout; everyone came to the store at this corner.”

In a family business, he grew up with the responsibility and learned from his father, who took him everywhere, he said.

“I was with him all the time. He kind of groomed me. He tried to teach me everything he could, everywhere he went he took me.”

Early on, subsequently, Andy became friends with other family-owned store owners, like Dave, Larry and Joe Darrenkamp of the renowned Darrenkamp’s stores which began on Union Street in Lancaster. Darrenkamp’s now operates stores in Willow Street, Mt. Joy and Elizabethtown.

Changes over the years

When the store operated 15 years ago, credit cards were not used much, said Andy.  

“We keep our prices reasonable,” he said. “You can’t be here 55 years and you don’t do something right. You gotta’ treat people with love and respect. You gotta’ love your customers. You gotta” want to make sure they’re happy. You gotta’ learn to take care of them.”

Andy does just that when circumstances arise and a customer is short on cash.

With four other big grocery stores within a few miles- Weis, Musser’s and others, competition has been building.

Only One Andy’s

But, Andy’s is one store where there’s a real Andy. 

Jackie Bachman, who used to work for Andy’s and has known the family since school days, said she loves Andy.  

That is the feeling in town, something the real Andy cultivates.  

“It’s a very caring town,” he said.  

Support for the troops 

Not long ago, Andy’s Meat Market was featured on a Black Hawk Medical Missions helicopter that flew in Iraq and saved a life, said Andy. The way it all happened was that Jennifer Martin, who was doing some publicity for the store, had made up some t-shirts, with the Andy’s Market label on it, and sent it as a joke to her brother, Tim Zerbe, who was flying the mission. 

The T-shirts were popular with the soldiers who reported they had a “taste of home.”

 Zerbe arranged to put Andy’s Market in words on the plane. Today, Andy proudly displays the photos of some soldiers wearing the shirt at the store.

From Then to Now 

From the time in the 1960’s when there were 26 family owned stores in Columbia, Andy’s mother, Evelyn, now 88, raised her family, and everyone helped out at the store. Evelyn still stocks shelves on Thursdays. 

The family of three boys and two girls, have all stayed on at the store. Brother, Dave, is the co-owner of the store.

Andy’s sons, Jason and Matthew, have found teaching school their professions. Jason Ohrel, 38, has been active as President of the teacher’s union of the Hempfield School District, helping to bring the first agreement to the table to freeze pay raises for teachers in Pennsylvania.

Matthew is a 4th grade teacher.

Their father, Andy, reinforces the fact that the “buck stops here.” There really is a person to contact if there’s a problem (or compliment) at the store.

‘There is a real Andy. If you have a problem and there’s something wrong, you can find a real Andy. It’s not like going to Turkey Hill where you can’t find who owns Turkey Hill, and you can’t find who owns Weis. But you have a problem, you go to Andy’s and there is an Andy,” he said.

There may never be another Andy at Andy’s Market. But for now, he’s open for business, and he’s not going anywhere else.

By Mary Ellen Graybill