The Story of 316 South Main
316 South Main Street
More than a building.
More than a business.
A tradition rooted in craft since 1905.
In 1905, Bernhardt F. Rupprecht, Sr. opened a small sausage shop in Frankenmuth built on Old World principles: hard work, traditional recipes, and honest ingredients.
What began as a local butcher operation would become one of the foundational food traditions of Main Street.
- Quality sausages
- Summer sausage
- Mettwurst
- Frankfurters
- Bologna
- Braunschweiger
- Country-style pork sausage
- Breakfast sausage
- Bacon
This was not factory production — it was family craft.
In June of 1948, the first major expansion modernized the facility while preserving its roots. The Rupprecht sons — Carl, Elmer, Bernhardt Jr., and Fred — joined the operation, turning it into a true family enterprise.
The building that stands today took shape during this era — a structure that would become part of Frankenmuth’s identity.
Rupprecht’s Sausage became the first building in Frankenmuth constructed in the now-iconic Alpine-style architecture.
It wasn’t just a remodel.
It was a statement — a commitment to heritage and community identity.
The building at 316 South Main helped define the Bavarian character visitors now associate with Frankenmuth.
In 1978, the Rupprecht family sold the location to Willi Becker, a Master Sausage Maker (“Fleischermeister”) from Kassel, Germany.
Under Willi’s leadership, the shop became Willi’s Sausage Company.
Homemade German sausage.
Imported foods.
Bratwurst sandwiches.
No liquid smoke — ever.
If you were lucky, you might even catch Willi playing his accordion.
The Old World craft continued — with an authentic German hand guiding it.
In 2005, Willi retired and sold the business to the Holzhei family, who carried the tradition forward for the next decade.
The name remained strong.
The recipes endured.
The commitment to quality stayed intact.
In 2015, Keith and Jackie Gere became stewards of 316 South Main.
For nearly a decade, they continued production, shipping sausage across the country and maintaining the integrity of the brand.
August 2024 — A New Chapter
In August of 2024, we became the fifth owners of this historic location.
Our promise was simple:
Improvements — Not Replacements.
We committed to preserving the historic recipes while expanding what 316 South Main could be.
Willi’s SmokeHaus & Deli
We continue to produce artisan sausage using time-honored recipes.
But we’ve also expanded:
- Addition of a full deli featuring haus-made brisket, pastrami, corned beef, and pulled pork
- Updated retail space
- Indoor and outdoor limited seating
- New production equipment including vacuum stuffers, smokers, packaging upgrades, freezer expansion, and electrical improvements
We now:
- Employ 11 team members
- Produce approximately 1,200 pounds of meat products per week
- Operate production roughly 45 weeks per year
- Ship products across the United States
The craftsmanship remains.
The address remains.
One location.
Over a century of sausage making tradition.
