Historic Choctaw Restaurant Closing After 43 Years

The long-time owner of the iconic Old Germany Restaurant in Choctaw says after 43 years, it was time to close - for good. Mike Turek’s parents opened Old Germany in March of 1976, two years after their family immigrated to Oklahoma from Frankfurt, G

Wednesday, April 24th 2019, 10:43 pm

By: News 9

Historic Choctaw Restaurant Closing After 43 Years

The long-time owner of the iconic Old Germany Restaurant in Choctaw says after 43 years, it was time to close - for good.

Mike Turek’s parents opened Old Germany in March of 1976, two years after their family immigrated to Oklahoma from Frankfurt, Germany.

Turek says his dad put his life-savings of 300 dollars into the place.

“Started selling hamburgers, burritos, and barbecue beef sandwiches,” said Turek.

Old Germany was a big hit, allowing the family to focus on serving outstanding German dishes for more than four decades.

Turek says changing culinary tastes, and the restaurant’s rural location played prominent roles in why he chose to close on April 7^th, 2019.

“If we could put a hook on the top of this building, and set it either in Guthrie, Edmond, or Yukon, the Mustang area, or somewhere in Northwest Oklahoma City or Midtown, I have no doubt we would do just fine,” he said.

Turek’s father Heinz died in 1991. However, he says his dad’s vision drove the restaurant’s ferocious growth in the 1980s and 90s. In 1991, the family also started “Octoberfest” in Choctaw, which ran for 27 years, and drew more than 30,000 people annually.

“It was quite a spectacle,” said Turek.

Turek’s mother Christle is 85 years old and still going strong.

The building, the family added onto so many times over the years, is officially for sale.

“And we will wave goodbye to the place and the clientele, and the friends and family who have come through here, and it’s been a great run,” said Turek.

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