When Karl and Jackie Dieterichs opened their folk music shop in 1966, finding a banjo in Bucks County was no easy task.
That changed with their vision.
The Bucks County Folk Music Shop in New Britain, housed in a former abandoned farmhouse, is now the oldest family-operated acoustic stringed instrument store in the U.S. Over the decades, it has become a beloved hub for bluegrass and folk music enthusiasts.
Karl also founded the Bucks County Folk Song Society in the early 1960s, an organization that remains active today. The shop’s website lists over 40 bluegrass and folk music jams in the Delaware Valley region.
Karl’s passing in May 2023 left a significant void in the local bluegrass community.
“People still come in and say, ‘I didn’t know Karl passed away,’” said Jackie, his wife. “We miss him deeply – his knowledge, his companionship, his presence.”
Today, Jackie and their eldest daughter, Kim Dieterichs, continue to run the store and uphold its bluegrass legacy.
Bluegrass gained national prominence in the 1940s, though its roots stretch back centuries. The genre’s origins trace to Irish, Scottish, and English immigrants who settled in Appalachia during the 1600s, blending with the gospel and blues traditions of Black communities in the South.
Part of bluegrass’s enduring charm lies in the authenticity of its storytelling, Kim explained.
“There’s an honesty to it, stories that resonate with people regardless of the era or global circumstances,” she said.
Bluegrass and folk songs often touch on themes of loss, love, death, war, and struggle, but they also reflect hope, faith, and remembrance. The music provides a glimpse into everyday life in rural, often remote, communities.
“It’s music from the heart,” said Ben Jarnutowski, founder of the Doylestown Bluegrass Jam, which began in 2001 after he took banjo lessons at the shop. “Being part of it lifts my spirit.”
Jackie met Karl when she joined his folk group, The Odes. Their shared passion for music led to a lifelong partnership.
Beyond running the shop, Karl manufactured instruments like Irish bodhráns and ukuleles, repaired folk and bluegrass instruments, and curated a roster of teachers for aspiring musicians. Jackie, the store’s first guitar teacher, balanced her role at the shop with raising their children.
“I was a jack of all trades,” Jackie said. “But when the kids were young, they became my priority for about a decade.”
The children grew up immersed in the family business. Kim recalled helping count guitar and banjo parts as a child.
“My dad would pay us per piece, not by the hour,” she said with a laugh. “That was my introduction to the business.”
After drifting away in her young adult years, Kim returned in her late 20s and has since taken on a more active role.
“I stand on the shoulders of giants – my mom and dad,” Kim said.
In an age of online shopping, the Bucks County Folk Music Shop stands out for its personal approach. Generations of customers return for the care and attention they receive.
“We’ve had customers since the beginning, who now bring their kids, grandkids, and even great-grandkids,” Kim said.
One longtime customer, Ray Bizup of Feasterville, recalled searching Philadelphia for a guitar and encountering dismissive service.
“Most shops gave up on you if you weren’t buying in five minutes,” Bizup said.
At the Bucks County Folk Music Shop, Karl spent two hours helping Bizup test guitars.
“I told him, ‘None of these have the sound I want, but when I figure it out, I’ll come back and buy from you because you took the time,’” Bizup recounted.
Karl then brought Jackie’s guitar from their house for Bizup to try.
“Within a minute, I knew it was the one,” Bizup said. They ordered the same model for him. “That guitar means so much to me.”
Before Karl passed, Bizup shared his gratitude in a recorded video, which Kim and Jackie played for him.
For Bizup, that experience epitomizes the shop’s spirit.
“They truly take the time to understand what you need,” he said. “That’s the beauty of this shop.”
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