RichBen Pieser remains active in retirement, continuing legacy of service in New Ulm

NEW ULM, Minn. — Ben Pieser, a lifelong New Ulm resident and retired businessman, continues to serve his community through multiple volunteer roles, maintaining the same energy and care that defined his decades in retail.

Pieser was born at Union Hospital and raised in New Ulm. His family’s legacy began in 1945, when his parents, Richard and Sarah Pieser, opened New Ulm Furniture shortly after Richard returned from military service. The store became a cornerstone of the community, known for quality goods and personal service. Sarah remained active in the business until age 92.

“My dad was always working,” Pieser said. “When I was born, he couldn’t leave the store–so his delivery man picked up my mother and me from the hospital.”

Pieser joined the business early and worked there for 54 years, helping shape its reputation for warmth, reliability and connection.

“I met thousands of people,” he said. “I still run into them–at the hospital, the grocery store. They say, ‘I wish you were still in business.’ These weren’t just customers–they were friends.”

Artifacts from the store, including the original brass cash register, are now preserved at Richardson Place, a professional office space Pieser helps manage.

Richardson Place is housed in the Erd Building, a historic structure dating to 1861. Previously home to Eibner’s Bakery and the Willow Marie Room, the building now hosts nonprofits, service providers and small businesses. A mounted plaque near the entrance details its layered past.

Inside, a vintage poem from the bakery reads:

“For fine confections, it will pay to call on W. I. Eibner, for he can please you all.”

Pieser called the find “amazing,” noting that several antiques from Eibner’s remain in the space, including a red wooden crate once used for bakery deliveries.

“It’s not about staying busy–it’s about staying useful,” he said.

In addition to managing Richardson Place, Pieser volunteers at New Ulm Medical Center, serves on the board at Oak Hills Living Center, supports Graze Food Co-op and prepares sandwiches for Laundry Love outreach. He also assists his daughter, Betsy, with research for her travel business.

Betsy, who named Richardson Place in honor of her grandfather, said the culture her father helped build, continues to thrive.

“We still have dinners a few times a year, exchange birthday greetings,” she said. “When you’ve worked with someone for 25 or 40 years, they’re family.”

Each room at Richardson Place carries its own theme. The Hemingway Conference Room features framed quotes and portraits of the author, including one that reads:

“All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened…”

“Find something that keeps you connected,” Pieser said. “Whether it’s volunteering, mentoring or just showing up–your presence matters.”

From Union Hospital to Minnesota Street, Pieser’s story is one of presence, purpose and enduring connection.