WE ARE HILDEBRANDT'S
THIS IS OUR STORY
LUANNE HILDEBRANDT
Owner
(4th Generation)
A family-owned, German-inspired Delicatessen with a heaping helping of Southern Hospitality. We have character. We have style. Our wares and fare have been time-tested and Augusta-approved since 1879, when Nicholas Hildebrandt founded the store as a local grocery.
His nephew (also named Nicholas – 2nd generation) and his family continued building the family business by offering more unique items including selling Christmas Trees. The family lived upstairs during the first part of the 20th century.
Louis (pronounced LU-EE, 3rd generation) then helped the store evolve into both a deli and destination for items of convenience and distinctiveness. His innovation is honored by having his name on several of our sandwiches.
Luanne (4th generation) invites you to join us, and to share your experience with others many times over, creating new memories of delicious food, unique gifts and fine conversation.
Our sandwiches are designed to fill you up, not overwhelm with too much bread; however, if you are incredibly hungry, just ask and we’ll gladly add more meat for an additional fee!
Hildebrandt’s used to deliver groceries in the 1900’s…
Read Fred’s story to ‘step back in time and enjoy an important lesson he learned…
For an entire week I had been carefully watching, Langston Vergery’s (Hildebrandt’s delivery boy) every move…the way he swung his body into the cracked black leather bicycle seat as he scientifically balanced the daunting array of fresh eggs, soft bread, glass bottles of chilled milk along with a couple of tasty treats.
I observed his confident departure and successful return as he rambunctiously raced down Ellis Street back to the store. I had been waiting patiently for MY turn on the coveted black Schwinn delivery bicycle. Finally, on the eighth day of work, Langston and Uncle Louie helped me load my first delivery in the huge, shiny aluminum basket.
I reverently placed my hands on the handle bars that swept back into a graceful arch in front of me and I pushed the peddles propelling my lanky thirteen-year-old body closer to my first delivery destination.I cautiously gained a manageable speed as I approached the railroad tracks on 6th Street. As if in a dream, I clearly remember the front wheel striking the think gray steel railroad track…my body and bicycle flipping over and over again…the ivory eggs flying into the crystal blue sky only to land bright yellow between the broken glass on the uneven cobblestone street.With lightning speed, Uncle Louie and Langston raced up the street to make sure I wasn’t seriously injured. Uncle Louie’s words were simple, “Ferdie, you must be careful.
Langston should have told you the angle to cross the track. I did the same thing the 1st time I made a delivery. The groceries will come out of your first week’s pay. Now, let’s clean up this mess and get back to work.”Later, I would learn the humility of being treated as a second-class citizen by everyone as I delivered groceries to the back doors of the doctors’ homes on the hill to the back doors of the “working women” on Greene Street.
Hildebrandt’s gave me the opportunity to explore my values as it joined diverse people together by the precious commodity of food. As a physician, I have striven to bring another kind of wholesomeness in people’s bodies, forever grounded in the firm foundation of respect I learned from Uncle Louie’s pulpit…the meat counter.
I hope that you have a fantastic time visiting Hildebrandt’s!