Local Icon–Helen Achenbach Dead at 92

Helen Achenbach, founder of Delaware’s famed Helen’s Sausage House has passed away at the age of 92. The Wilmington native started the restaurant back in 1983 with her late husband Melvin “Mudge” Achenbach. Helen’s Sausage House, off Route 13 just before the start of the Route 1 toll road, was a must stop early morning breakfast place for truckers, hunters, fishermen, bureaucrats, police officers, and even prison workers. The menu included egg and sausage sandwiches, home fries, and delectable bone-in, jumbo pork chop sandwiches. Helen’s was also known for its “Elvis Room,” a basic shrine to the king of rock ‘n’ roll. She used to talk about a concert she saw with Elvis in Philadelphia. The room features Elvis’s pictures on the wall and even a life size mannequin. Helen’s son and daughter in law took over the family business in the 90’s until they retired in 2022. Now Helen’s grandson Clifford Murphy III has taken over. He plans to open another store in Newark sometime this Fall. If you go to the Helen’s Sausage House Facebook page, you’ll see they’re already taking applications to work in the Newark location.