Who's Behind the Counter: Jonas King at Patapsco Amish Market

From Wednesday to Saturday, Jonas King and his family wake up at 3 a.m. to leave their farm in Pennsylvania and head for Baltimore City.

Amish traditions may keep them from driving, but that is nothing that a leased van and a hired driver can’t fix. The corner of Patapsco Avenue and Annapolis Road may seem like a strange location to serve up Amish fare, but locals love the freshness and friendly staff.

The King family’s love of cooking and providing for others is obvious. Whether ten-year-old Jon Michael is bussing tables or Ruth Ann is taking an order, one thing is sure, it’s done with a smile. Jonas King sat down with Patch to discuss his family business and the importance of a strong work ethic.

Patch: What makes this Amish market special compared to other markets?

King: Mostly fresh food. For instance, the restaurant has home cooking and traditional Amish recipes. My daughters run the restaurant and my wife runs the pretzel stand. She makes all the pizzas and pretzels from scratch. We even raise our own tomatoes to make the sauce.

Patch: How do the traditional Amish beliefs and practices affect having a business in Baltimore?

King: We don’t have electricity at home. But when we are in this building we have to have electricity for inspection. But at home we do not.

Patch: Is that something people are okay with in your community or are there some strict Amish people who may look down upon it?

King: It’s more accepted than it was at one time. Although there may be some Amish people that wouldn’t do it this way—some that may stay on the farm—which is a very good life.

Patch: Why this part of Baltimore? Why Annapolis and Patapsco?  

King: It was available and the owner wanted an Amish market. The flea market is here on Saturday and Sunday. We are open Thursday Friday and Saturday but we also opened the restaurant Wednesdays because people wanted us to do that. We get a lot of work people—a lot of regulars in here. 

Patch: What do people come here for?

King: The breakfast. Saturday we serve breakfast all day long. We also get a very strong lunch crowd.

Patch: How is your meat prepared as opposed to meat you might buy in a store?

King: Our meat is bought chemical free and we make sure to keep the meat fresh.

Patch: I know you’ve been here for a year and a half. What made you want to start a business in Baltimore?

King: I was a farmer and my daughters worked in Germantown at a market restaurant for six years. It was an opportunity to come down with the family and work together to start our own business. That was our goal. I got three daughters here, my wife, grandson, niece and nephews, father in law, mother in law. We all work together. Not all at one stand, but all here.

Patch: I saw on your website that you sell whole pigs. I was wondering how much a whole pig is?

King: $250. He cooks a whole pig in the summer time once a month out front and sells it in sandwiches or containers. I know he has sold some whole pigs.

Patch: How did you learn to be a business man?

King: I guess I wanted to eat. Well, I was a farmer, had to start a construction business. I also sell sheds and lawn furniture. I started with the indoor furniture. I got enough on my plate—you do what you got to do.

Patch: How old were you when you started working?

King: I guess I’d say when I could walk. You’re part of the family; you are part of the farm. My oldest grandson works in here he is ten years old.

Patch: What changes have you seen in the Amish way of life since you have been a little boy?

King: Not much has changed.

Patch: So you could see coming down to Baltimore and selling goods in a city 40 years ago?

King: No I guess that would be one change. Forty years ago more families stayed on the farm. There would be a lot more construction workers a lot more shops. Population increased so they had to do something. There are no more farms made right all here. They were all here then. If the population drastically increases every ten years, the people will have to make a living somewhere— more numbers can not make a living off one farm. So some farm, some do other things and wood working has been a very good industry for the Amish.

Patch: If someone were to try something here what would you have them try?

King: I don’t know. I’d have them try everything.

Patch: Do you have any advice for those going into business with family?

King: Work together. It doesn’t say we will always agree, but work it out.

Patch: What do you see in your way of life that is missing in standard American life?

King: We were taught to work at a young age and I guess it is a little different growing up on a farm. It always had to be teamwork so that is the way we were brought up. We grew up on a dairy farm, which demanded a strict schedule. So I guess that is why we uphold a strict schedule. It’s time to do this; it’s time to do that.

So we come down here after an hour and a half drive on a Wednesday morning. The doors open at 8, if nobody does any work before eight, nobody gets any food, right? There is a lot of prep to do especially the first day when we open up Wednesday morning. We get here at 5:15, three hours later we open the doors. But it’s a lot of work. We are cooking the rolls, grits, slicing the ham, cooking peppers and onions for the omelets. It’s never-ending. While you are doing that, you start prepping lunch. They make their own homemade meatloaf which is my wife’s recipe.