Celebrating the Holiday Season in Style with Fligner's Market

by Kelly Boyer Sagert

If you’re seeking the country’s longest-running full-service meat market, how far would you be willing to travel? One hundred miles? Two hundred?

photo by Jason Shaffer

What if you found out that prices at this store are often 60 percent cheaper than at big box chain stores and that the staff provides the personalized service of yesteryear with all the benefits of today?

What if, for example, the store used computerized technology to ring up your purchases quickly, and then they’d personally carry your groceries to your car—pushing the cart and then placing the items carefully in your vehicle?

How long would you travel then? Five hundred miles? A thousand?

photo by Jason Shaffer

Well, if you live in or around Lorain, Ohio, here’s the good news. You’ll only need to go to 1854 Broadway (and, for the writer of this article, that’s only 1.5 miles away). Conveniently located, the store offers plenty of free parking. What we’re talking about, of course, is Fligner’s Market.

Fligner’s was founded in 1924 as a family-owned and operated store, and it remains in the family to this day. And, as it approaches its 100th anniversary, we thought we’d reach out to a fourth-generation family member who is familiar to anyone who shops there: Ben Fligner.

“We’re really looking forward to serving our long-term and new customers during this holiday season,” Ben shares. “Even during tough times, our great employees offer wonderful customer service to make people’s holidays complete.”

photo by Jason Shaffer

Started by Ben’s great-grandfather, Harry Fligner—a Polish immigrant—and Morris Fligner, Ben’s grandfather, the two men named their store the Lorain Cut-Rate Fruit Company. That catchy slogan and the personalized service offered by Harry and Morris caught the attention of Lorainites, and, in 1933, the men changed the store’s name to Fligner’s as they expanded beyond simply offering delicious fruit.

photo by Jason Shaffer

Through savvy management, the store survived the challenging years of the Great Depression.

Kel Fligner began working at the store in 1949, and he earned a business degree from Baldwin-Wallace University. Although Kel would have preferred to put all his attention on the grocery store from the get-go, his parents knew the value that an education in business could bring to the store—and they were correct.

Kel then bought out his father and grandfather in 1963.

Having a real passion for providing the community with unsurpassed service, Kel incorporated the store into today’s Fligner’s Market, expanding from 2,000 square feet to 35,000. Not willing to rest on his laurels, he kept building up the business, and, in 2014, the store won the Pinnacle Award from the Ohio Grocers Association—for being the state’s best grocery store.

photo by Jason Shaffer

So, for people who like to support local businesses and love great selections of delicious food at affordable prices, it just doesn’t get any better than Fligner’s, one of the last independent grocery stores that can still compete with mega-chains. They’re also one of the city’s biggest employers. So when you support the store by enjoying their flavorful offerings, you’re also supporting the entire Lorain community.

photo by Jason Shaffer

With a look toward Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve in 2021, Ben notes how Fligner’s offers:

•Complete Thanksgiving dinners for ten people up to “however many you’d like”

•Everything you need for Christmas dinners (the store added full-service catering in 1999)

photo by Jason Shaffer

•Fruit trays, cheese trays, meat trays, and more

•Meat bundles, which can be ideal for your home or as a gift that keeps on giving with meat sourced from locally raised cattle that’s available in just about any cut you can imagine (You can even buy a quarter or half cow, a popular option!)

photo by Jason Shaffer

•Deliciously fresh fish and seafood

•Their own kielbasa and other sausages

photo by Jason Shaffer

•Pastry trays, customized decorated cakes, and other freshly baked desserts

•Full lines of produce delivered fresh daily

•Online grocery shopping with delivery available by Mercado

photo by Jason Shaffer

“While we continue to provide full service at the highest levels of quality,” Ben says, “we’re keeping prices in check to help customers during these turbulent times. We’re here to make their holidays special, ones to remember.”

Nowadays, people travel from Sandusky, Cleveland, and Akron to shop at Fligner’s so that they can enjoy farm-fresh produce, the finest cuts of meat, outstanding bread and baked goods, and more from Northeast Ohio. They can even discover hard-to-find ingredients for ethnic recipes from around the world, including Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Mexico, and Poland. Name a place on the globe and, if you’re looking for ingredients, just let them know.

Warning to all new customers: for Fligner’s friendly staff, nobody is a stranger. You’re part of the Fligner family, a cherished customer, and friend.

For more information, call Fligner’s at (440) 244-5173. Hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.