New Business Offers Custom Meats, Fresh Sides and More
by Loni Rahm
If you and your fiancé can survive 6 weeks cross-country road tripping in a small RV, then opening a small business together should be a walk in the park.
About 2 years ago Krysta and Gary Westmoreland were living in a small town in New Hampshire. A death in the family made them rethink their lives and rekindled their desire to make a fresh start. Both had job flexibility and with a small RV sitting in their driveway, they decided to head down the road and see where they ended up.
They weren’t sure exactly where they wanted to go, or really what they expected to do once they got there, but they did identify some “must have” criteria.
Gary had always lived near water and couldn’t imagine ever relocating to a community that didn’t have a significant lake, river or bay. They both agreed that sunshine and wine would be a bonus.
Krysta told me they requested visitor brochures from a variety of communities, including Chelan, and headed out with a limited plan and lots of enthusiasm. They got as far as Idaho and contemplated plotting their return route when they realized how close they were to this “community with a fabulous lake.”
From almost their first moments in town, they knew they had found their eventual home. They returned to the east coast, got married, and began researching small business opportunities in earnest.
Last fall, they were sitting at a Shot of Gratitude and looked across Woodin Avenue at an empty building. The street facing windows, the building size and setting were perfect for what they had in mind – The Meat Shop.
Gary has a background as a meat cutter; they both have marketing experience. And their research had indicated the value of providing locally sourced, custom cuts of meat along with jerky, sausage and other fresh meat options such as wings, marinated chicken and pork.
According to Krysta, the Meat Shop will also feature a variety of fresh sides, reflective of seasonal produce and locally based artisan products “with an East Coast flair”. Their goal is to complement not compete with other food providers, while helping support local ranchers, farmers and growers.
She envisions a “Grab and Grill” option she feels will be a great fit for busy parents, retirees and visitors — where customers can choose a cut of meat, grab a couple of sides, fire up the grill and be ready for dinner.
Krysta and Gary expressed their appreciation for all the community interest and support they have received since their arrival. She also credits building owners and local business owners, Pat and Linda Kelly, for their advice and encouragement.
She indicated getting the store ready for business has been “a healthy dose of reality balanced by a growing sense of excitement.” She said they have two more inspections ahead and then they plan to do a soft opening later this month.
How will we know when the store is open? It’s only fitting that the signal for the soft opening of a Meat Shop will be when the “butcher” paper is removed from the windows.
