Martins Food Stores history

Our family business got its start in 1944, when brothers Melvin and Israel Tapick hatched the idea of selling fresh poultry from the yard behind their mother’s neighborhood grocery store.

1947: Martin and Jane Tarnow open a small neighborhood grocery store at 1521 Portage Ave. in South Bend.

By 1950, he was the first black licensed car dealer in Wisconsin.

1970: By this time, Martin’s has expanded to also include a store in Mishawaka and two stores in Elkhart.

1973: Robert E. Bartels Sr. becomes president and chief executive of the grocery chain.

Believe it or not, it wasn’t too long after Martin’s grew out of its first bakery until they had to expand yet again into the location of our current Chambersburg bakery! Of course, Martin’s has expanded this bakery multiple times since 1978.

Martin’s first significant geographic expansion was to New York City in 1980.

Martin purchased Milwaukee’s 13,000 square foot Kohl Food Store in 2001.

2005: Robert Bartels Jr. becomes president and chief executive, and Bartels Sr. becomes chairman.

Did you know Martin’s has two bakeries? Our second facility in Valdosta, GA, was built in 2007 and has two production lines (smaller than our Chambersburg bakery, which currently has four). Much of our internationally shipped product is baked here in Valdosta.

15, 2014: Gunman Shawn Bair opens fire in the Martin’s store on East Bristol Street in Elkhart, killing employee Krystle Dikes and customer Rachelle Godfread.

July 2015: Robert E. Bartels Sr. dies at age 78

In 2016, our business ventured beyond the Big Apple in New York to upstate areas like Rochester and Buffalo.

March 2017: A new Martin’s Super Market opens on Western Avenue in South Bend.

Martin passed away on July 27, 2021.