Hauck's Handy Store

Hauck's Handy Store at 1000 Goss Avenue is a community landmark of Schnitzelburg, a residential neighborhood adjacent to Germantown in Louisville, Kentucky. Hauck's began serving the Schnitzelburg community as a general store and hangout prior to 1913; however the exact date of founding, as well as changes of ownership prior to 1971, are not well-documented. George Hauck owned and operated the store with his family until 2018 when the store was listed for sale along with other properties owned by the family. George Hauck founded Schnitzelburg's annual Dainty Contest, a beloved community institution featuring competition in the "Dainty", a stick game introduced to Louisville by German immigrants in the 1800s. A historical marker on the corner of Goss Avenue and Hoertz Avenue commemorates Hauck, the Dainty, and Schnitzelburg's origins.

Hauck's Handy Store at 1000 Goss Avenue is a community landmark of Schnitzelburg, a residential neighborhood adjacent to Germantown in Louisville, Kentucky. Hauck's began serving the Schnitzelburg community as a general store and hangout prior to 1913; the exact date of founding, as well as changes of ownership prior to 1971, are not well-documented.

George Hauck founded Schnitzelburg's annual Dainty Contest, a beloved community institution featuring competition in the "Dainty", a game introduced to Louisville by German immigrants in the 1800s. A historical marker on the corner of Goss Avenue and Hoertz Avenue commemorates the Dainty and Schnitzelburg's origins. The marker explains the "Dainty" as follows:

DAINTY
A Schnitzelburg Street Game
Introduced to Louisville in 1800 by German immigrants, Dainty is played with a 5” stick, and a 3’ stick. The 5” stick is placed on the ground, hit with the longer, then hit, airborne, as far as possible. Game revived in 1971 by George Hauck and Charlie Vettiner. The World Championship Dainty Contest is celebrated each July.

George Hauck owned and operated the store with his family until October 2018, when the store was listed for sale along with five properties owned by the family. Hauck's daughters, Lynn Hite and Karen Hauck, ran the store as third-generation owners until the announcement of their retirement. Hauck's Handy Store was listed as "for sale" through Mulloy Commercial Real Estate on Tuesday, October 9th 2018. The lot including Hauck's was listed at an asking price of $1.39 million.

Schnitzelburg's community members revered and adored the Hauck's and the store. Ron Bolton, president of the Schnitzelburg Area Community Council, posted the following on Facebook in response to the sale:

We are Schnitzelburg.
The last few years have brought us many changes. Old friends have left and new friends have come. Our favorite places have closed only to be replaced by new favorites. Despite all of this we have remained a strong cohesive community. THIS WILL NOT CHANGE. We will continue to enjoy the events that have defined us for more than a generation. We will continue to create new events that will define the next generation. No matter what,
We. Are. The Schnitz.
And I am damn proud of that fact

The Schnitzelburg Area Community Council announced an intent to keep the Dainty Contest tradition going, despite the sale.

The Schnitzelburg/Germantown area saw rapid development in the 2010s and the sale of Hauck's; attendant gentrification of the community leaves the fate of community institutions like this, as well as community identity, up in the air.

1. Bowling, Caitlin. Louisville landmark Hauck’s Handy Store for sale. Insider Louisville. October 11, 2018. Accessed October 15, 2018. https://insiderlouisville.com/economy/louisville-landmark-haucks-handy-store-for-sale/. 
2. Kobin, Billy. Hauck's Handy Store, a fixture of Schnitzelburg, is up for sale. Louisville Courier Journal. October 11, 2018. Accessed October 15, 2018. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2018/10/11/louisville-neighborhood-staple-haucks-handy-store-sale/1601088002/. Article detailing sale of Hauck's in Louisville Courier Journal.
3. Bolton, Ron. Schnitzelburg Area Community Council. Facebook. October 10, 2018. Accessed October 15, 2018. https://www.facebook.com/schnitzelburgareacommunitycouncil/photos/a.932356640125659/2387057587988883/?type=3&theater.
4. For information on gentrification in Schnitzelburg, see: Bowling, Caitlin. Heart of Germantown and Schnitzelburg remains despite their growing popularity. Insider Louisville. February 08, 2017. Accessed October 15, 2018. https://insiderlouisville.com/economy/real-estate/heart-of-germantown-schnitzelburg-neighborhoods-remain-despite-their-growing-popularity/.