Above: The gregarious Joe Janssen Jr.
Photos courtesy Paula Janssen
Joseph “Joe” Janssen Jr., the man behind one of northern Delaware’s most iconic grocery stores, Janssen’s Market, died last month at the age of 85.
The son of a butcher who dropped out of college to help run the family business when his mother died, Janssen took the reins of Janssen’s Market at age 24. He never looked back.
Despite the many challenges faced by independent grocery stores, Joe was always prepared to pivot. As a result, through seven decades Janssen’s has continued to thrive.
Founded in 1952, Janssen’s Market remains one of the state’s few independent grocers. Virtually every customer is a regular — mostly because of its warm customer service and well-earned reputation for high-quality products. And Janssen’s carries everything — from meat to produce, from baked goods to florals. “Gourmet and everyday” is its tagline.
Paula Janssen (l),
with parents Joe and Eileen Janssen at Janssen’s Market.
“I’m not sure it is a secret, but our success is because we are always listening to our customers,” says Joe’s daughter and current Janssen owner, Paula Janssen. “We listen and learn and constantly try new things. My grandfather would always say that in retail you are always moving forward or losing ground — there is no standing still.”
As for her father’s favorite part of the business?
“[It] was the people,” says Paula. “He loved serving customers, growing staff and learning from vendors. He invested so much of himself in other people and although it was sometimes frustrating, he always found it rewarding.”
