Mark and Sharla Lorenz met in Kansas during the summer of 1985 and were united in marriage in 1988. They have been blessed with five amazing children plus thirteen wonderful grandchildren to love and spoil (with one more on the way). Mark & Sharla have had the honor of celebrating over thirty-seven years of life together, keeping Christ at the center.
They began their life together in northern Ohio and had their first three children there; 2 sons and a daughter. In 1997, they moved the family to Quinter, Kansas (Sharla’s hometown). During their time there, Mark began to entertain the idea of starting a bulk food business. He also attended college to become a radiologic technician, and after graduating in 2003, they moved back to Indiana, close to where Mark had grown up. While Sharla kept busy as a homemaker and homeschooling mom, two more children soon joined the family: another son and another daughter.
Before they knew it, the two oldest sons had left home and gotten married. The oldest daughter had also graduated from high school and was engaged to be married when tragedy struck their close-knit family in a way they never could have imagined. As a result of an auto accident, their youngest daughter was ushered into the presence of her Maker. After a couple of years, it was becoming evident that their youngest son had grown weary of being homeschooled alone, so as he entered high school, Mark & Sharla enrolled him in the local private Christian school.
All of a sudden, Sharla had more time on her hands and began volunteering at Birthright in Kokomo a day a week, which she found very fulfilling. After a couple more years, she inquired about a part-time job at Miller’s Variety Store just a few miles from their home. She hadn’t been employed there very long when she found out the owners wanted to sell the business. When Sharla shared that with Mark, his mind started kicking into high gear again.
They hope this new venture will allow Mark to leave the medical field and that they, together with their amazing employees, can serve the community in a Christ-like manner worthy of His calling! May God richly bless all who make an effort to shop with us…
Thank you; we greatly appreciate each one of you!
Plevna Country Market wasn’t built overnight… it grew out of a deep-seated love for simple, wholesome foods, traditional country hospitality, and a desire to support local Indiana producers.
Located right outside of Kokomo, our storefront serves as a lively gathering space for neighbors, families, and travelers alike. We set out with a clear purpose: to bridge the gap between regional agricultural artisans and your dinner table without the commercial markup.
From the early morning aroma of fresh yeast breads baking in our ovens to our fresh deli displays and carefully stocked shelves of candies, pantry staples, and local favorites, every square inch of our market reflects our dedication to real food, honest work, and strong community values.
Click the video to the right, to hear about who we are, whe
We work directly with nearby farms and creators to secure top-tier local meats, fresh eggs, real Amish roll butter, and unique merchandise items.
We never cut corners on flavor. Our popular fried pies, seasonal fruit pies, and soft breads are crafted by hand using trusted heritage recipes.
Excellent food shouldn’t be a luxury. We pride ourselves on keeping our custom deli counters and bulk grocery rows priced fairly for hard-working families.
When you step inside Plevna Country Market, you’re greeted by folks who live right here in your neighborhood. We love helping you build the perfect lunch sandwich or finding the ideal outdoor glider chair.
Mark manages store operations, curates the grocery rows, and coordinates directly with Indiana artisans to stock our robust general merchandise section.
The hands behind your morning treats and custom lunch specials. They manage our busy deli counters and keep our baking ovens rolling six days a week.
Stop by this week to look over our inventory or place an order ahead online to secure your favorite deli combinations.
