A forgotten building is the grocery store in the West Hills named Stroheckers, a once very popular and well-loved store that now stands vacant. 

In 1902, Gottlieb Strohecker opened the doors to his store, Stroheckers, a high-end specialty item and fine wine grocery store. They have been compared to a similar store, Zupans, another local high-end store with specialty items that opened in the 1970s.

In the mid-1980s, Stroheckers underwent a full-store renovation that included a fine wine and liquor store, post office, pharmacy and a full-scale grocery store in one building. It was a unique place for all that it had to offer and also in a meaningful location.

The store was right in the middle of a wealthy neighborhood below Council Crest on a busy road, not to mention the park right next door that had kids’ soccer games during the fall, bringing business to Stroheckers.

In 1996, Stroheckers was bought by Lamb’s Thriftway and continued to operate throughout the 90s and 2000s until it was bought again by Bales Marketplace in 2012. After 114 years of being in business, Stroheckers Grocery closed its doors for the final time on 

January 31, 2016. The store below remained open for six more months and the pharmacy was moved to the east side. 

As of 2024, the building sits vacant, the windows are boarded, the sidewalks are covered with moss and weeds and the store looks sad, and not full of life as it once was.

Although the true reason for its close wasn’t released publicly, it was most likely due to an inconvenient location for people not living in Hillsdale, a small parking lot that was oftentimes overcrowded when it was sports season, and poor choices made under the management of Lambs and Bales. It also had competition from other high-end grocery stores in the area such as Zupans and New Seasons.

Stroheckers was ahead of its time when fancy cheese and fine wine weren’t commonly found in stores, and although it’s sad to see a shell of its former self, sitting empty and lonely, one can only hope that a new retail business comes in to take over its legacy.