Heard a kid at the market ask his mom what a 'butcher shop' was

I was picking up some short ribs at the farmers market in Springfield last Saturday and this little boy, maybe five years old, pointed to my apron and asked his mom what a butcher shop was. She just said 'it's where they sell meat' and kept walking. It hit me how much has changed. When I started with my dad thirty years ago, every neighborhood had a shop. People knew us by name, asked for specific cuts, and we'd talk about how to cook them. Now, for a lot of folks, meat just comes in a plastic tray from a big store aisle. The skill and the personal touch feel like they're fading into the background. It made me think we need to be more visible, maybe do demos or host shop tours. How do you guys keep that old-school craft feeling alive for new customers?

3 comments

3 Comments

derekhunt20d ago

My cousin's kid thought eggs came from the grocery store fridge, not chickens. We lose something when that basic link gets broken. It's not about a story, it's about knowing what you're actually buying.

ross.christopher20d ago

My nephew asked if milk came from almonds, which made @nancy_wood's point about simple answers pretty funny.

nancy_wood20d ago

Okay but "the skill and the personal touch feel like they're fading" is a bit much. It's just shopping. Most people want good food for a fair price without a whole story attached. The old way wasn't better, it was just different. Maybe that kid's mom was in a hurry and just gave a simple answer, which is fine. Not everything needs to be a deep lesson.