SHENANDOAH, Pa. -- It's the holiday season, and that means folks in our area are stocking up on kielbasa.
It's certainly considered a delicacy in Shenandoah, where a kielbasa shop there has seen lines out the door this week.
The lines at Kowalonek's in Shenandoah have been winding out the door.
"I would say this is the busiest time of the year for us, for sure. It kicks off now right straight on through New Year's because we're busy for New Year's also," said manager Jessica Hannis.
In the back of the shop, workers are carving all the excess fat off the pork shoulders. In the shadows of the smoker, the meat sticks are being prepared for distribution.
Orders are being taken from customers around the clock.
"People start lining up at around 8 o'clock in the morning. We open at 9. We do our best to serve everyone with a smile and get everyone what they need," Hannis said.
This place will be celebrating its 108th year in Shenandoah in March. Customers say this has become a family tradition during the holidays. They add that there's no place like it around.
"We come here year-round for kielbasa sticks, but for the holidays we come and get fresh. I actually came here and came back because I forgot fresh kielbasa. My dad called me and said, 'Please pick up a ring of fresh,' so here I am again. I have to do what he says," Amanda Layton said.
"The smoked kielbasa, the pineapple sticks, the jalapeno sticks. It's all good," John Hammer said.
The store on Main Street is open Tuesday through Saturday.