Family-owned Bucks County Folk Music Shop in New Britain has helped cultivate a thriving bluegrass community across the region over the years, writes Emily Neil for WHYY.
When the shop first opened its doors in 1966, it was not easy to find a banjo in Bucks County. However, Karl and Jackie Dieterichs had a vision that changed that.
The shop is the oldest family-run acoustic stringed instrument store in the country. It has become a central gathering spot for bluegrass and folk music enthusiasts throughout the region.
Karl also founded the Bucks County Folk Song Society around the same time as the shop, which is as strong as ever, with over 40 bluegrass and folk music jams currently happening weekly or monthly across the Delaware Valley region.
Karl passed away in 2023, and his loss is still mourned by many members of the local bluegrass community.
“People have come in and say, ‘Gee, I didn’t know Karl passed away,’” said his wife, Jackie. “And we really miss him… We miss his brain, his knowledge, and his companionship.”
The family business is now run by Jackie and the couple’s oldest daughter, Kim Dieterichs.
Read more about the Bucks County Folk Music Shop and how the Dieterichs family helped cultivate the region’s bluegrass community in WHYY.
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