The renaissance of the local butcher on Delmarva
Butchers of the past were revered and beloved, as crucial to the community as corner bakers and high school football coaches. Their shops were thought of as familiar storefronts, with well-worn butcher blocks and brawny men in bloodstain aprons.
While some of this may still be true, almost everything about the profession has changed — from the people cutting the meat to the people ordering it.
Companies pumping out plastic wrapped meats seemed to have all but replaced the trade's skilled handiwork. But a revolution is occurring; cleavers are being sharpened, bone saws are coming back out, and meat maestros are once again setting up shop.
In Maryland and Delaware, two butcher shops have opened within the past six months and a third is on its way to Milton in January.
Today’s markets are serving up gourmet sandwiches, bratwursts made with local craft beer, and organic grass-fed beef. This new wave of butchers, providing old-school customer service and retro slicing skills, are redefining the once venerable trade.
Americans are becoming more health-conscious, and as a result, are seeking alternatives to major grocery stores, "propelling a new-age butchery renaissance," said Lisa Hall, owner of the Berlin Butcher Shop, which opened last month.
Hall, a longtime Berlin resident, recently opened the Berlin Butcher Shop on Williams Street in downtown Berlin. Her store offers locally sourced meat, hand-sliced and made to order.
Memo Diriker, director of business, economic, and community outreach network at Salisbury University's Perdue School of Business, said butcher shops and other small businesses will likely continue to thrive because they can offer something the big companies cannot: superior customer service.
"People desire to know they matter," he said.
Bryan Hickman and his sister, Jennifer Tatem, have been running Hickman's Meat Market on Route 1 Rehoboth Beach for about five years, after taking over the 15-year-old business for their father. The siblings have worked hard to keep their father's store a family-friendly community shop.
They know their customers by name, as well as their orders, have family photos taped to the deli cases and Frank Sinatra playing on the radio. One step inside, and a customer might feel as if they have traveled back in time.
"We want people to feel like they're special," said Bryan Hickman. "We often go above and beyond for them, offering special cuts or orders they wouldn't be able to get at the grocery store."
The family will open a second location, dubbed the Butcher's Block by Hickman's, in downtown Milton in early 2017, as well as renovate their flagship store with fresh paint, display cases and kitchen equipment.
Brian Tatum, who married Jennifer five years ago, will oversee operations in Milton. The store will feature a variety of smoked sausages and gourmet bacon, as well as high quality, yet affordable choice cuts from local farms.
"I'm ecstatic that will be able to better serve our many customers," he said, adding that includes even the most health-conscious consumers.
A recent study published by Vegetarian Times showed that 7.3 million people follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 1 million of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all.
While the statistics could seem daunting to a butcher looking to expand, business hasn't decreased for Hickman's. In fact, it's only gotten better.
Hickman's Meat Market is selling nearly 2,000 pounds of meat each week. That number tripled during the summer.
"People want to be healthy," Jennifer Hickman Tatum said. "So we are seeing more customers who are seeking out the best cuts, free of harmful nitrates and preservatives. If they are going to eat meat, they want top quality, and that's exactly what we offer."
The desire to provide healthy alternatives was the driving force behind another shop that recently opened in downtown Berlin.
Local foodie Toby Gilbert opened Gilbert's Provisions in June, selling gourmet meats and cheeses, house-made artisan breads, fresh ricotta, homemade pickles and various jars of fermented vegetables.
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An avid surfer with tattoos and dirty blonde hair, Gilbert is a far cry from yesteryear's butcher stereotype. He was craving a change of pace after working six years as a professional chef in three prestigious area restaurants.
"I wanted to play with food in a different way," he said.
Now there are two businesses dedicated to hand-crafted meats in the small town of Berlin, offering proof that a butchery renaissance on Delmarva is in the making. But unlike Gilbert's store full of gourmet items and one-of-a-kind finds, Hall's is dedicated solely to meats.
Opening her storefront, the Berlin Butcher Shop, took time to execute. The old building itself took nearly five months to renovate, but the real challenge was finding the right guy to handle the meat cleaver. That is, until she met Matt DiPietro — a fourth generation butcher who has been perfecting his craft since the age of 12.
"I wanted someone who shared my vision," she said. "Matt gets it. He has an unbelievable passion for butchery."
For DiPetro, slicing and handling meat is just second nature.
"It's in my blood," he said, adding that he learned the trade from his grandfather and father.
The Berlin Butcher Shop offers everything from ribeye tenderloins and baby back ribs to London broil and pig feet, as well as a wide selection of Boar's Head premium deli meats and cheeses.
The shop's fresh pork and chicken come from reputable farms in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and its beef is sourced from Rastelli's Deptford Meat Stop in New Jersey. Signature items include breakfast sage sausage and hot chicken.
Early next year, Hall and DiPietro plan to expand with another meat case to offer specialty items like stuffed bacon cheeseburgers and beer brats made with Burley Oak beer, as well as partner with other downtown merchants to offer locally made sodas, cold-brew coffees, spices and seasonings.
Patricia Purnell, 64 of Berlin, has been a loyal customer since the Berlin Butcher Shop opened.
When she decided to break tradition this year for Thanksgiving, she knew exactly where to go. Instead of a turkey, Purnell is serving a fresh chuck roast she bought from Hall.
"I missed having fresh meat so readily available," she said. "It is nice to finally have a butcher back in town."
Liven up those Thanksgiving leftovers
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