In the heart of Cleveland’s historic Slavic Village, R&K Sausage has been a staple of the community for more than a century. Founded by Joseph Radecki in 1917, the shop is now operated by the fourth‑generation Archacki siblings—Catherine Murray, Chris Archacki and Martin Archacki—who inherited the business from their mother in the 1990s.
Family roots and neighborhood ties
The original storefront on Lansing Avenue was created by joining two old houses, reflecting the Polish and Slovenian heritage of the founders. When the family outgrew that space, they moved to a larger location on Harvard Avenue, but the shop’s connection to the neighborhood remained strong. The Archacki children grew up with the shop as a second home; their mother worked for her own father, and relatives and friends were a constant presence.
“It’s in your heart. I mean, it really is. It’s more than just — it’s a part of us,” said Chris Archacki. Employees often stayed for decades, and many of their children followed suit, turning R&K into a true community institution.
Adapting to changing times
R&K’s signature product—smokies made with pork hearts—has long been the shop’s calling card. Over the years, the business shifted from a traditional butcher model, where customers could request custom cuts, to a focus on prepared foods and catering as supermarkets and big‑box stores squeezed meat prices.
COVID‑19 tested the shop’s resilience. While it remained open as an essential food business, the pandemic eliminated a major source of revenue: funeral luncheons. The loss highlighted a broader cultural shift, with families now favoring restaurants or smaller “celebration of life” gatherings after a loved one passes.
Looking ahead
Today, R&K continues to serve longtime patrons and newcomers alike, offering prepared meals such as stuffed cabbage, breaded pork chops and chicken paprikash. The owners are also pursuing interstate expansion. Inspected by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the shop is applying for approval to ship its products beyond state lines, and distributors from other states have already expressed interest.
“We’re going to keep trucking along, doing what we do,” said Catherine Murray, emphasizing the family’s commitment to the business and the community that has supported it for generations.
Why it matters
R&K Sausage exemplifies how a family‑owned enterprise can preserve cultural heritage while adapting to modern market forces. Its story underscores the importance of local businesses in sustaining neighborhood identity, providing jobs, and offering food that connects generations of Clevelanders—both those who still live nearby and those who have moved away but return for a taste of home.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
