Thurn's
Thurn's is a multigenerational Columbus, Ohio smokehouse known for traditional German-influenced specialty meats made with long-established recipes and smoking methods.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Thurn's, also known as Thurn's Specialty Meats, is a historic smokehouse and specialty-meat business in Columbus, Ohio. The business was established in 1886 by Alois Thurn, an immigrant from southern Germany who recognized an opportunity to serve Columbus's substantial German immigrant population. He initially sold smoked meats door to door from his home on South Front Street before opening a stall at Columbus's Central Market on April 24, 1886. The business developed within and around the city's Brewery District and German-American commercial community. During the 1890s, Alois Thurn acquired property on Greenlawn Avenue and moved the operation away from the Central Market stall. The family later relocated again in 1958 when construction of Interstate 71 affected the business's former site. Thurn's maintained a presence at Central Market until 1965, two years before the market itself closed. The company has remained family-owned across multiple generations. Robert Thurn and his two brothers sold the store to Albert Thurn in 1988, making Albert the fourth generation of the Thurn family to own it. Albert worked at the store with his brother Anton, his son Alec, and his sister Teresa. Robert Thurn died in February 2014. The family's continuing involvement has been central to the brand's identity and to its reputation as a traditional, locally rooted food business rather than a mass-market meat producer. Thurn's offers a broad range of smoked and prepared meats, reportedly carrying more than 70 products. Recognized products include capicola, double-smoked bacon, schinken, smoked tongue, blood sausage, smoked pork chops, and cottage ham. The business is associated particularly with German-influenced and Central European-style specialties, while its ingredients and meat supplies come from suppliers in Ohio. Thurn's is credited with being the first supplier of cottage ham in Columbus. Production emphasizes continuity with the past. The smokehouse uses a pit-fired smoker supplemented by steam radiators, with operating temperatures described at approximately 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Red oak and mulberry are used as smoking woods, and some of the equipment dates to the 1930s. The company presents these methods and recipes as substantially continuous with those used by earlier generations of the business. Thurn's has also received regional and national attention. Presidential candidate Bill Clinton visited the store on November 2, 1992, while campaigning. In 2011, food writer Josh Ozersky hosted a tasting of favorite Thurn's meats at the store. Historically, the business was open to the public three days per week and commonly sold products until its supply was exhausted. More recently, its retail schedule has become sporadic, typically concentrating on holiday periods, with opening dates announced through the business's Facebook presence. Thurn's therefore operates as a small, traditional, supply-limited smokehouse whose appeal rests on heritage, family continuity, local sourcing, and distinctive smoked-meat production.
History
Thurn's began in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 when Alois Thurn, an immigrant from southern Germany, started producing and selling smoked meats for the city's German immigrant community. He first sold the products door to door from his South Front Street home. After building demand, he opened a stall at Columbus's Central Market on April 24, 1886. During the 1890s, Thurn acquired property on Greenlawn Avenue and moved the operation from the market stall to a dedicated site. The company continued to maintain a Central Market presence for decades, finally closing its stall in 1965, two years before the market itself shut down. Construction of Interstate 71 through Columbus required another relocation in 1958, leading Thurn's to its current general location. The business remained within the Thurn family. Robert Thurn and his two brothers sold the store to Albert Thurn in 1988. Albert represented the fourth generation of family ownership. Other relatives, including Anton Thurn, Alec Thurn, and Teresa Thurn, worked in the store. Robert Thurn died in February 2014. Thurn's production has emphasized continuity rather than industrial expansion. The company uses recipes and methods associated with its earlier history, obtains its meats from Ohio suppliers, and operates a pit-fired smoker with steam radiators reaching about 210 degrees Fahrenheit. Red oak and mulberry are used as smoking woods, while parts of the production equipment date from the 1930s. Its product range includes more than 70 smoked and prepared meats. Capicola, double-smoked bacon, schinken, smoked tongue, blood sausage, and smoked pork chops are among the better-known items. Thurn's is also associated with cottage ham and is described as Columbus's first supplier of that product. The smokehouse gained wider public attention through a 1992 visit by presidential candidate Bill Clinton and a 2011 tasting event hosted by food writer Josh Ozersky. Historically, Thurn's opened to the public three days each week and often sold out of production during the day. By 2025, the business was described as operating on a more occasional schedule, usually near holidays, with dates announced through social media. Its identity remains tied to family ownership, Columbus history, traditional German-influenced meat products, and small-batch smoking practices.
- 2025
Retail availability became sporadic
[1]The business was described as opening mainly around holidays and announcing dates through Facebook.
- 2011
Food writer hosted a tasting
[1]Josh Ozersky hosted a tasting of selected Thurn's meats at the store.
- 1992
Bill Clinton visited the store
[1]Presidential candidate Bill Clinton stopped at Thurn's during his campaign.
- 1988
Albert Thurn became owner
[1]Robert Thurn and his two brothers sold the store to Albert Thurn, marking the fourth generation of Thurn family ownership.
- 1965
The family ended its Central Market stall
[1]Thurn's closed its Central Market stall two years before the market closed.
- 1958
Interstate construction prompted relocation
[1]Construction of Interstate 71 through Columbus forced Thurn's to move to its current location.
- 1890
The business moved to Greenlawn Avenue
[1]During the 1890s, Alois Thurn acquired property on Greenlawn Avenue and closed the original Central Market stall.
- 1886
Alois Thurn founded the smokehouse
[1]Alois Thurn began selling smoked meats in Columbus and opened a stall at Central Market on April 24.
Products and positioning
A family-owned, heritage smokehouse offering German-influenced specialty meats made with traditional recipes, local Ohio-sourced meats, and longstanding wood-smoking techniques.
Cured and smoked pork
Capicola
A signature cured-and-smoked meat in Thurn's range and one of the products specifically identified among its best sellers.
Smoked bacon
Double-smoked bacon
Bacon subjected to an additional smoking treatment, representing the smokehouse's emphasis on pronounced wood-smoke flavor and traditional processing.
Cured ham
Schinken
A German-influenced cured ham offering consistent with the company's southern German heritage and specialty-meat positioning.
Smoked offal
Smoked tongue
A traditional smoked-meat item included among Thurn's recognized best sellers and reflecting its broad old-world product range.
Sausage
Blood sausage
A traditional sausage made with blood, included in Thurn's selection of German-influenced specialty meats.
Smoked pork
Smoked pork chops
Pork chops prepared through the smokehouse's traditional process and listed among the business's notable products.
Cured ham
Cottage ham
A ham product strongly associated with Thurn's Columbus history; the business is described as the city's first supplier of cottage ham.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Josh Ozersky tasting event
United States
Food writer Josh Ozersky hosted a public sampling of his favorite Thurn's meats on September 10.
Outcome. The event connected the local smokehouse with national food-media attention.
- 1992Bill Clinton campaign-trail visit
United States
Presidential candidate Bill Clinton visited Thurn's in Columbus on November 2 while campaigning.
Outcome. The visit brought political and press attention to the local smokehouse.
Brand decisions
2025
Move to a sporadic public-opening scheduleStrategyBackground
The business had historically opened three days per week but later operated with less regular retail availability.
Action taken
Thurn's began opening mainly near holidays and announcing dates through Facebook.
Aftermath
Customers became dependent on announced opening dates rather than a consistently published weekly schedule.
1988
Transfer of ownership to Albert ThurnM&ABackground
Robert Thurn and his two brothers owned the store before the transfer.
Action taken
The brothers sold the store to Albert Thurn.
Aftermath
The business remained within the Thurn family under fourth-generation ownership.
1958
Relocation caused by Interstate 71 constructionStrategyBackground
Road construction through Columbus affected the business's former premises.
Action taken
Thurn's moved to its current location.
Aftermath
The relocation allowed the smokehouse to continue operating outside its earlier market-site premises.
Sources1 sources
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