• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Saturday, January 28, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

Jerky Is a Family Business

Staff by Staff
March 18, 2021 4:10AM
in Breaking News, EYE ON SC
Jerky Is a Family Business

Nancy Niepagen recently opened a downtown San Clemente location for Gus’s Fresh Jerky. She learned the business while working for her dad since the age of 5 in the family’s famous jerky store in Olancha, California. Photo: Norb Garrett

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Norb Garrett

Gus’s Fresh Jerky shop is known to just about anyone who has driven up to Mammoth Lakes for a weekend of fishing, fun on the snow or a quiet getaway. Now, thanks to Gus Niepagen’s 27-year-old daughter, Nancy Niepagen, the legendary jerky, dried fruit, honey, stuffed olives and nuts shop has a San Clemente home, too.

Located at 131 Avenida Del Mar, Unit C, the shop opened its doors on Feb. 12 and has been slowly but steadily building its customer base.

“Business is picking up,” said Nancy Niepagen, the youngest of Gus’s four daughters, who learned the trade while working for her dad in the family’s shop in tiny Olancha, California, which has a population of 229 and is located on U.S. Route 395 along the road up to Mammoth Lakes.

The elder Niepagen immigrated from Argentina at the age of 20, eventually starting a jerky and dried fruit stand in Olancha on weekends. It was so popular, he relocated the family from Las Vegas to Olancha and bought the building he’s still in today.

Nancy Niepagen recently opened a downtown San Clemente location for Gus’s Fresh Jerky. She learned the business while working for her dad since the age of 5 in the family’s famous jerky store in Olancha, California. Photo: Norb Garrett

The new local business owner credits her dad for her entrepreneurial spirit, and her mom, Nancy, for her organizational skills.

“I remember the day I got the keys to the store, and it was an empty space,” she said. “I laid down on the floor, looked around, and for a second thought to myself, ‘Oh, boy, what have I gotten into?’ But then I got to work, drove over to Lowe’s to buy racks, and it’s slowly coming together.”

Nancy’s husband, Sheldon Adam, is a U.S. Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. The couple moved to Oceanside in 2019. She said she thought about opening the store in San Clemente when she did research and saw how successful other “unique” stores in San Clemente have been, such as Rocket Fizz, the candy store just a few shops up the street.

She’s counting on building a new clientele of jerky fans while tapping into those who already know the brand, and has added a few special items not available at her dad’s store in Olancha or his other stores in Arizona.

“Cowboy Beef Jerky and Sweet & Spicy are the most popular jerkies,” she said, noting that all of the jerkies are USDA-approved meats and her father’s recipes. “But unlike my Dad’s store, we also have Vegan Jerky and an expanded line of local honey, stuffed olives and specialties like Dirty Martini juice and Chimichurri sauce.”

While most of the jerky is made from beef, she also offers elk, venison and turkey varieties.

The store is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and on weekends (Friday through Sunday) from 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Beef JerkyGus’ Fresh JerkyLocal BusinessMammoth LakesNancy Niepagennew businessOrange CountySan Clemente
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

San Clemente Girls Soccer Finishes Early, Moves into First Place with Shutout of San Juan Hills

January 28, 2023
Artifex Releases Beer ‘Created by AI, Brewed by Humans’

Artifex Releases Beer ‘Created by AI, Brewed by Humans’

January 27, 2023
Calvada

Planning Commission Gives Go-Ahead to Mixed-Use Development South of Downtown

January 27, 2023
Council to Hold New Election of Mayor Pro Tem Amid Debate over Voting Process

Council to Hold New Election of Mayor Pro Tem Amid Debate over Voting Process

January 26, 2023
Next Post
South County Cities Saw Unemployment Rise in January

South County Cities Saw Unemployment Rise in January

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • Money Matters
    • Best of San Clemente
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Triton Football Preview
    • Go See Do
    • The Green Issue
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media