Konopelski Meats

the konopelski meats story began four generation ago in 1903. louis konopelski, a poor polish immigrant who worked for a butcher in poland, arrived in america with nothing but the clothes on his back and a recipe for polish kielbasa in his pocket. he met his future wife teodozya “fannie” (shelak) sech on the boat coming to america, but they didn’t marry. louis married anastasia fir and had seven children. teodozya married thomas sech and had one daughter. teodozya and thomas ran a small grocery store located on 7th and canal streets in reading, pennsylvania. as fate would have it, each of their spouses died, and in 1920 they married and had three children. rose, joseph, and francis. louis began making and selling polish meats in the corner store. it did not take long for the reputation of konopelski’s polish kielbasa to grow in the town. son’s joseph and francis (fidge) worked with their father. the business grew and expanded to include a grocery store on willow street and one on cotto