August 6 – Leah and Rachael Chacon, identical twin sisters born and raised in Santa Fe, wore aprons amid the midday rush at the center of the Kaune Neighborhood Market.
“We are so excited about this new adventure in our lives,” said Rachael Chacon.
It’s also a new chapter for the popular and historic supermarket on the city’s east side. Longtime owner Cheryl Sommer recently announced that the specialty market, across the Old Santa Fe Trail from the state Capitol, was sold to the 31-year-old sisters, who have worked at the store since 2022.
“I think with businesses like this, it’s always important after a period of time that there’s new energy and new ideas,” said Sommer, who has owned the business since 2003.
Founded in 1896, the market has played an important role in the city’s past and present and is a popular stop for east side residents. Today, the store is known for its curated product line, diverse meat market, and bustling salad bar.
Rachael Chacon said there are no immediate plans to change anything about the business.
“We know it’s very popular as it is,” Chacon said. “We’ll evaluate how things are working and then we can make changes, but it wouldn’t be that drastic if we did.”
Henry Kaune, a German immigrant, opened the original HS Kaune Grocery Co. in 1896, then on East San Francisco Street. The current location was built in 1951, Sommer said.
In her 21 years at the helm, she has steered the store through the coronavirus pandemic and oversaw a major remodel the grocery store underwent in 2013. The store has about 25 full- and part-time employees, similar to when Sommer took over, she said.
Located near residential neighborhoods in downtown Santa Fe, Kaune’s maintains a loyal customer base — and it’s the kind of place where employees know customers by name.
In a community-driven Kaune’s Neighborhood Market social media post, Sommer thanked the company’s customers for their support during her long tenure and expressed excitement about how, under Leah and Rachael Chacon, Kaune’s will continue to be led by women who were born and raised in Santa Fe.
“I was fortunate enough to identify Leah and Rachael as buyers – or to come together to make a transaction work,” Sommer said. “They are caring, they care about the business, they have worked here for two years and I think they will be wonderful in carrying this forward into what is in store for Kaune’s in the future.”
In the Facebook post, Sommer called owning and operating Kaune’s a lifelong honor.
“I am deeply moved and proud of our journey over the past twenty-one years and grateful to have such an extraordinary team by my side,” the post read. “I can think of no more rewarding way to run a business than to be supported by such a dedicated group, coupled with their support and loyalty.”
Sommer said in an interview that he plans to spend more time with his family, including his grandchildren.
She plans to stay at the store “nearly full time” for the rest of the year, she added, and then consult with the Chacon sisters “as needed” next year.
Around noon on Tuesday, the market was packed with lunchtime shoppers, grabbing food from the aisles. A salad bar at the back of the store was the center of activity, while some customers went outside to eat in a covered seating area.
“We have a very loyal clientele, many of them in our neighborhood, but they come from all over the city and from all over. Especially around the holidays, we get a lot of specialty business,” Sommer said.
Curt Temple has been ordering salads at Kaune’s for a while now. Waiting to pick up his order on Tuesday, he said the price is very good for a large salad.
“Sometimes you get here and the line goes all the way there,” Temple said, pointing to the front of the store.
Rachael Chacon said she remembers shopping at Kaune’s as a child. She and her sister have been familiarizing themselves with the business since coming on board two years ago.
Mark Rodriguez, wine supervisor and buyer at Kaune’s, said he previously worked for large corporations but sought employment with a local company. He started working at Kaune’s about five years ago.
“Everything we bring is hand-selected. Everything you see on the shelf, someone is personally ordering,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a personal touch to everything in the store.”
Sommer said the market offers many specialty items from small vendors across the country. Items are also imported from all over the world. She noticed the salad bar, with ingredients mixed together in front of the customer. “There’s nothing like it in Santa Fe,” she said.
The market also offers a selection of “specialty-picked” wines and cheeses.
“It’s very local,” Rachel Chacon said. “We buy from all over New Mexico and then go out.”
