Schmidt's Sausage Haus and Restaurant (1886)

J. Fred Schmidt, the patriarch that first started the Schmidt’s legacy, emigrated to South Columbus from Frankfurt, Germany in the early 1880s. Like many immigrants coming to the United States for opportunity, J. Fred Schmidt started his entrepreneurial career by opening the J. Fred Schmidt Meat Packing House in 1886. This bustling manufacturing venture was located in the heart of German Village, where the restaurant sits today. Mr. Schmidt’s meat-packing house became one of Central Ohio’s most well-known brand names when it came to meat processing and packaging, and locals can still find the products that put Schmidt’s on the map at leading grocery stores today. J. Fred Schmidt was able to successfully run the Schmidt’s Meat Packing House through the Great Depression that struck in the early 1900s, and start a family. Among the key players in the Schmidt family was J. Fred’s son George L. Schmidt, who also introduced his personal love of sports to the Schmidt’s family legacy. Armed with his passion and the financial wisdom his father bestowed upon him, George Schmidt became the majority stockholder of one of Columbus’s first professional football teams, the Columbus Bullies, in 1938. 

George L. Schmidt also made another large contribution to the family's legacy, thus solidifying the brand that many Americans know and love today. In the year 1914, George simply opened a stand featuring his family’s meat specialties at the Ohio State Fair. This began a life-long legacy of Schmidt’s, establishing the name as a brand among Ohioans. To this day, the Schmidt’s food booth is the second oldest food concessionaire at the Ohio State Fair, as well as a quite popular one. J. Fred’s grandson, George F. Schmidt, expanded the food venture into the company’s first restaurant in 1967: right around the corner from where his Grandfather used to work in his meat-packing plant. Today, German-food lovers come enjoy timeless cuisine prepared by the fourth generation of the Schmidt family at this restaurant, and enjoy the relics of history that still occupy the walls of this beloved local eatery. 

History- Schmidt's, Schmidt's Sausage Haus. n.d. Accessed November 19th 2020. https://www.schmidthaus.com/history/.

German Village- Schmidt's, Schmidt's Sausage Haus. n.d. Accessed November 19th 2020. https://www.schmidthaus.com/german-village/.

Schmidt's Restaurant und Sausage Haus, Ohio Central History. n.d. Accessed November 19th 2020. https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Schmidt%27s_Restaurant_und_Sausage_Haus.