“So many of them make an annual visit and to them, it’s like a pilgrimage to come to Domeier’s for Christmas,” said Anne Morris, owner of the store. “It’s something that they have to do.”

Morris said the holiday season marked the strongest Christmas period in the store’s recent history, citing increased sales volume, heavy foot traffic and repeat visitors. Founded in 1934, Domeier’s will celebrate its 92nd anniversary on July 18, 2026.

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Domeier’s welcomed customers from the Twin Cities, Mankato, Rochester and greater Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota, Colorado and other states. Morris said international visitors also shopped at the store during the season.

On the Friday following Christmas, customers from Mexico visited the store while traveling through New Ulm. Morris said conversations took place in Spanish as they browsed the aisles.

Manny and Charlene Bigger of Thief River Falls shop at Domeier's during the holiday season. The couple made the two-hour drive to New Ulm to celebrate their anniversary and Manny's birthday, connecting with his German heritage through his mother, who was from Mannheim, Germany.

Among the visitors were Manny and Charlene Bigger of Thief River Falls, who traveled more than two hours to New Ulm to visit the store. The couple scheduled their trip to coincide with their wedding anniversary and Manny Bigger’s birthday on Dec. 28. Manny Bigger’s mother was from Mannheim, Germany.

“This is our first stop, actually,” Charlene Bigger said as they entered the store.

Morris said improved accessibility, including upgrades to Highway 14, has contributed to increased traffic from the Twin Cities and Rochester areas.

“Those customers are now becoming repeat customers because it’s so easy to get in the car and come here,” she said.

By late December, some shelves throughout the store showed empty spaces, which Morris said is typical near the end of the Christmas season.

Authentic German cuckoo clocks and collector spoons fill the shelves at Domeier's, where customers can find imported items that reflect New Ulm's strong German heritage.

“It’s normal at this time in the Christmas season to see some empty faces,” she said. “That’s actually a good thing. It means that I purchased the right products for the Christmas season.”

Top selling items included hand-blown glass Christmas ornaments imported from Germany, Pfeffernüsse cookies, Lebkuchen, German Christmas stollen and angel candy. Morris emphasized that the glass ornaments are produced in Germany.

Advent calendars were also among the most popular items, with both paper and wooden versions selling throughout the season. Morris said some customers purchase Advent calendars months in advance, particularly during Bavarian Blast in July.

“For some people who live quite a distance, they make their purchases once a year,” Morris said. “They’re driving from Colorado, North and South Dakota. They’ll come for Bavarian Blast, and this is their one trip to New Ulm.”

Morris said many customers who visit Domeier’s during the Christmas season first came to the store as children and now return with their own families. She said it is common to see multiple generations shopping together.

Domeier's German Store on Minnesota Street in New Ulm displays its festive holiday decorations during twilight. The store, which has been in business since 1934, attracts customers from across the region during the Christmas season.

“It’s a pilgrimage,” Morris said. “You have to introduce the third and fourth generations of your family by taking them to Domeiers.”

During the busiest shopping days before Christmas, the store reached capacity, with customers filling the aisles while waiting to check out.

“That’s what I like,” Morris said. “They’re happy to be here.”

To accommodate demand, Domeier’s extended its business hours during the holiday season and opened on the final Sunday before Christmas.

“So many people have to work, and the only day they can come here is a Sunday,” Morris said.

Domeier’s closed for its annual winter break on Dec. 31 and will reopen later in March. Morris said planning for the following Christmas season begins in January, particularly for hand?blown glass ornaments that must be ordered months in advance.

“It’s time to exhale,” Morris said. “And then it’s time to move on to the next thing.”

Domeier’s is scheduled to reopen during Holy Week in the spring. The store offers a wide range of German products year round, including cookbooks, children’s books, cuckoo clocks, seasonal decorations and imported ornaments.

A store promotional message encourages visitors to experience a traditional German Christmas. Morris said the 2025 season reinforced the store’s continued role as a regional destination as it approaches its 92nd year in business.