Kreuz Market traces its roots to 1875, when Jesse Swearingen opened a meat market in Lockhart, Texas, selling barbecued pork and beef. In 1900, Charles Kreuz Sr. bought the market and gave it the name it still carries.
A line of owners
Kreuz sold the market in 1911 to his sons Theodore, Will and Alvin. In 1948, the family sold it to longtime employee Edgar Schmidt. Schmidt sold to his sons Rick and Don in 1984, and Rick became sole owner in 1997. Rick’s son Keith Schmidt took over in 2011.
Carrying the coals
In 1999, Kreuz Market moved from 208 S. Commerce Street to 619 N. Colorado Street. Pit master Roy Perez carried the original hot coals from the old pits to the new ones, a gesture that says a lot about how seriously the market treats its history.
Know before you go
- Location: Lockhart, southeast of Austin.
- Check the market’s website for current hours.
Kreuz shows how a local business can survive generations of change by guarding the things that matter most.
Featured photo: Kreuz Market by Dameon Hudson, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
