Jason: Food is one of the greatest pleasures you can have, and it doesn’t have to be expensive to make that happen. Life is difficult, no doubt about it. But when you have a good meal or you make a good meal, it makes you happier. And most memories people have are linked to food. That’s the one thing that sticks to people. It’s so deeply ingrained in us that we need to eat, that we relate to it so much easier. Every big event you celebrate is always around a meal. Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, birthdays, Fathers day, Mothers day there is always a meal involved.

BJ: That fact that you can make somebody’s day with food is what makes it so special. Some people will come in and say that they’ve had a really shitty day or they are going through some stuff right now, but the meal you cooked for them was amazing and changed everything. And for that split second, you can make somebody forget the circumstances they are in and just enjoy the experience of eating. That is the most important part of cooking and food.

Jason: One thing about butcher shops, is back in the day it use to be a core part of the community, and somewhere along the way we lost that. So it’s really nice to be able to bring that back and try to be a place that people enjoy coming to, for more than just the meat.

BJ: People come in here all the time, and it’s like a social atmosphere. We welcome our patrons to come in and talk to us. We have certain cuts that people have never cooked before. And people get curious about them, and it excites us because we get to talk about our food and share our knowledge with the community. It’s so much bigger than just selling them meat.

Jason: And when people come back and did something really well, they’re really proud of it. And to see that pride and to know that you helped them in some way, is something that you can’t express because it’s so great!