In the early to middle 1940s on Crane
Street in Schenectady, a store named G and D Meats was formed. This
partnership later dissolved. Then from 1947 to 1949, Greulich's Market
was on Carman Road (Route 146). The New York State Thruway bought
the land on which the store stood. In 1950 Greulich's Market was built
on its present location, further south on Carman Road.
The most prominent feature of the market,
the large fiberglass cow attached to the roof, was not on the 1940s
building but was an addition to the present-day building. The cow
has been stolen more than once. Once, ten years ago, the cow was stolen
by some Guilderland High School students as a prank. Because the cow
is made of fiberglass and very light, it was easy to remove from the
roof. It turned up in a nearby field. Now the cow is locked and chained
to the roof. Greulich's was also robbed 25 years ago in broad daylight,
but the robbers took a safe, not the cow.
The cow is a symbol of what the market
is best known for, its wonderful meat department. People come from
near and far to purchase their exceptionally well prepared meat.
This
circa 1950 photograph is of Greulich's Market on Carman Road (Route
146). The New York State Thruway then bought the land on which the
store stood. Picture courtesy of the Greulich family.
This
photograph shows Greulich's Market on its present location, 3403 Carman
Road, Schenectady. The roof decoration, a 125 pound fiberglass cow,
was later added to this building in order to advertise the fresh western
beef in which the store specializes. Picture courtesy of the Greulich
family.
