Cold Open + Intro

SPEAKER_02 0:00

After going through a long day, we're both tired, you put the kids down, and then you talk about the business, you're not in the right mindset to like think clearly. Let's just go to bed next time.

SPEAKER_04 0:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:09

Turn on some game changer and like laugh, and then wake up early in the morning, have some coffee, then we talk about it.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

If you wanna hear about St. Louis, tune into the Bucket List Show Weekly. Hear what Marissa and Luke say. It drops every Wednesday. Got a dope new guest every single week. Buckle up for the ride. Who's it gonna be? Who's on the show today? They rap St. Louis. What to do in the loo on a late night? I maybe what to do on a date night. Yeah. Bucket list as you covered, then all what's going on. What's going on? They'll give you 18 different things to do on 19. If you need one more to choose, yeah. The city, city, city is a place we call home. A place we call home. Yeah. St.

Meet The Quarter Butcher + Origin Story

SPEAKER_05 1:00

Louis, welcome back to the STL bucket list show. We're in studio. Uh, we've recorded over 200 episodes highlighting the people, places, and events that make St. Louis special. Right here in Maplewood, Missouri, Julia on the Ones and Twos producing the podcast. We drop new episodes every Wednesday with local entrepreneurs. Uh, we have two of those in the studio today. Uh, we have Ryan and Alleny with uh the Quarter Butcher. Um, we met you guys probably a year ago now. It was last summer. Um, you guys are in my old hometown in Dardian Prairie. Um, you guys have an amazing butcher shop. It's so unique for that area. Obviously, St. Charles County isn't used to seeing what you guys are doing out there. So, first, I just want to thank you guys for coming in the studio today.

unknown 1:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Yeah. Thanks for having us. Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_05 1:39

So, the Quarter Butcher, let's start with letting people know where the name came from and what even what even prompted you to start a butcher shop in the first place?

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Um, well, we had always wanted to own, you know, we always wanted to control our future. We wanted to own a business at some point. Uh, I was in the food industry for 10 years. Um, and you know, restaurant was kind of the first idea, but we, you know, then we have kids and realized the restaurant life kind of wasn't uh um wasn't most suited for kids in the family life. So we were like, okay, you know, I worked at Bullyards for several years and kind of learned butchery in there and really kind of fell in love with it and kind of the retail atmosphere and saw like Chris and Abby had you know had that family dynamic and were able to do it. And we're like, maybe this is a um, you know, more of a retail setting and staying in the food lane would be best for us. So we kind of set on a butcher shop.

SPEAKER_05 2:38

Um and then what were those conversations like? Because obviously, like, you know, starting a butcher shop is not easy. So you know, when so when did you guys first come up with the idea and then how long did that take for it to actually come to fruition?

SPEAKER_02 2:50

So we came up with the specific idea to open our own business probably around COVID.

SPEAKER_05 2:54

Yeah.

Launching the Business + Whole Animal Butchery

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Because he was still in the restaurant industry at that point, and COVID just like rocked it. Like there were hard times. We had our our first child February of 2020. And so our life changed dramatically in that time period, and we were like, okay, let's take a reset look at what we actually want to do long term and like bring that in. Why not start now? So we started putting together business plans, decided to sell our house, you know, down here and move out towards our family and where we wanted the business to ultimately be. And so we took concrete steps towards that and started working towards like the butcher shop. And the name itself took a little while to figure out, but we decided on the quarter butcher because that represents the business model that we have, which is bringing in the whole side of beef and breaking it down in-house, which is what makes us different from the other places. And, you know, grocery stores don't necessarily have the cuts of meat that he's able to prep because of that whole animal butcher shop way of doing things.

New Sandwich Menu + Product Expansion

SPEAKER_05 3:49

Yeah, I've seen it. I mean, I've obviously got a behind-the-scenes look at what you guys were doing, and then we got hooked up with so much food and so much food. And I'm excited to be back there. I'm excited to go back there next week to try the actual food menu because I think that that's what brings everything together is like, you know, one thing to sell, you know, cuts, and then it's another thing to like take the extra stuff that you're creating and then turning that into a menu. So um I know you've been teasing it on the story, but you guys are dropping this menu. Is there anything that you guys can tell us about the menu and like all the RD that you guys have been doing to work towards this and what people can expect?

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Yeah. Um, yeah, we've been doing a lot. We kind of started, um, you know, we want to use obviously everything that comes on the animal and use what we kind of have in-house. Um, and we want to make everything um, you know, in-house that we can. Um, so we kind of soft launch a couple weeks ago with like a roast beef euro. Alenny has a is uh is Greek, so we kind of went the the Greek route. Um and so kind of did a soft launch with just one one sandwich of roast beef euro. Um, and then now we're kind of accelerating and kind of expanding it to five different sandwiches. We're gonna have a pastrami, um, uh a turkey club, and we'll have the the roast beef euro, a dip, um, and an Italian beef. Um we've been a lot of these products and deli meats we've had, we've had in the case for a long time. We've had different kits, you know, sandwich kits for take-home meals um using all these ingredients, and now we're just kind of putting it all together and gathering the resources to be able to serve it hot, you know, at the shop.

SPEAKER_05 5:22

So when is the menu launching?

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Wednesday is the plan. So by the time this comes out, it will hopefully be fully launched and everything will be ready to go. Um, we've been, he's been, you know, putting things together in the background. We have a little like family tasting plan tonight to make sure everything's good. Nice. And then we'll have Wednesday everything ready to go.

Educating Customers + Local Farm Partnerships

SPEAKER_05 5:41

Because you guys have done pop-ups. Obviously, I I saw you guys at Frankie Martin's, you did the burger pop-up. Um, I think that's one of those things, and you mentioned Chris and their team is like, you know, it's one thing to experience the menu there, but then it's like you can also leave with something too. And it's like, how do you introduce people to stuff and how do you use the whole animal? And it's like you guys are also doing the tallow I saw, you know, some of the homemade stuff that you guys are doing from the retail side of it. Um, so yeah, no, it's it's amazing um to see what you guys built. Now I want to talk about the St. Charles County community because obviously this is something that takes getting used to the way that you guys do things there. So, what are some of those, you know, the storytelling elements and maybe some of the, because you see customers a lot. And I know when you're talking to the customers about why things are priced the way they are and why things are how they're sourced and all and how it's important. Have you noticed that like, you know, one getting people in there for the first time, educating them, like what's been some of that feedback that you got from the community?

SPEAKER_01 6:30

Yeah, um, honestly, it's been really great. Um, actually, probably more understanding of like the price and the product like than I we initially thought. I really thought going into this, like St. Charles County is um, you know, you're from there, it was chains, you know, chain restaurants, chain grocery stores for the longest time growing up, and there really wasn't um any kind of niche or craft food or you know, butcher shop out there. Um and so we kind of knew there was going to be a little bit of sticker shock and we would have to be educate our customers when they come in. But um, and we still definitely do that, have to do with that a lot, but we are it's been more accepting than I thought. People really care um right now where their food is coming from. Um and it is more prevalent out there than I think we even realized, which is a good thing for us. But um at the reception has been really great.

SPEAKER_05 7:25

And what does it mean to like work with these farmers? Because you were in the restaurant industry before, but now you get to like work directly with them in a different way. So, like, tell can you shout out any of the farms that you guys work with?

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Yeah, yeah. Um so Price Family Farmers, we would get all of our beef. Um, David Price um met him through Bolliards. I worked with him um when I worked at the last hotel in the city. Uh, we were getting uh sides of beef there, and he is just um he is he's a great man. I mean, just to start with, he is the nicest human being probably ever met. Um, and he really cares about the product that he's um delivering to us, really cares about us and like our success. He is fantastic to uh to work with. Um and then we get you know, Newman Farms and Sullivan Farms, we get pork from. Um they all have um they're also fantastic to work with. Um and then Buttonwood Farms where we get our all of our poultry from. And um they're great as well. I know they've um even through all the changes they have gone through recently, they've they've still been fantastic.

SSM Health Sponsor Spot

Running a Family Business Together

SPEAKER_05 8:25

And that's like eggs, poultry, stuff like that. So the pork, turkey, turkeys. Okay. For over 150 years, SSM Health has been providing hope, healing, and opportunities to the St. Louis community. With over 40,000 employees across four states, they're not only delivering exceptional care, they're one of the region's largest employers, shaping the future of healthcare. We're proud to present SSM Health as the official healthcare partner of the STL bucket list show. If you've dreamed of a career where you're truly making a difference every day, SSM Health can help you take that to the next step. Learn more at their website in the link in the show notes. Um, so what is it like working together? Because, you know, I started the business with my wife seven years ago. We've been working, she she has another job now, so she's a teacher, but we've worked together a lot, but now she's kind of doing it, you know, her own thing. So what is that like with you guys working together? Because obviously there's benefits to that, but then there's also, you know, you take work home and it and it causes a lot of um, it's just different because it's like you're just especially now when you're working on stuff and you're thinking of business plans, you're like, okay, like put the kids down to bed, and then it's like we're working on stuff instead of just connecting. Like I think there's really like it's really fun, but it's really hard at the same time. So what is that like for you?

SPEAKER_02 9:34

It's crazy because you know, you go into it knowing that you have only so much time in the day to do everything. And like you said, like kid life, married life, business life, I have a full-time job, like putting it all together, it can be very overwhelming. And so when we first started the business, we knew like you know, we're gonna have to put so much time into opening, but we really didn't know what it would look like beyond that. And so there's still obviously a lot of time and effort that goes into all of these things, like as we're launching the sandwiches, as we're putting together new marketing material or XYZ, but you still gotta take care of the kids, et cetera. So we've actually just started kind of putting more ground rules around how we talk about things because the not being able to turn it off was just becoming so draining. Like after going through a long day, we're both tired, you put the kids down, and then you talk about the business, you're not in the right mindset to like think clearly, let's just go to bed next time, yeah, turn on some some game changer and like laugh and then wake up early in the morning, have some coffee, then we talk about it because it was just it was becoming too much after so much time. So, you know, we're we're figuring out the business, we're figuring out how we talk about the business, but like you have to recognize the signals whenever like you need to adjust things because yeah, you're at the end of the day, you're still married, you're still a family that comes first. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

And I think we knew that it was going to be difficult. Like we, you know, one thing that makes us grace we're two very different people. You know, I'm kind of the hustler and the doer and not much of the planner, and she is the the planner. So like it's natural for us to butt heads. Yeah. Um, but we're getting better, you know, with time over this year of like figuring out how to how to do that. Live and learn. Live and learn.

Favorite Products + Customer Favorites

SPEAKER_05 11:18

And you talk about like when you're building something together, it's like there's just something special there. Like, you know, obviously you have another job and it's it's you know, it's rewarding, but it's not the same as when it's like, hey, we're building this, you know, family business together. And it's like now you get to support the community and you get to meet other families that come and shop with you guys and meet them and just a different feeling. Like we still we're still a small business ourselves, and it's like we talk to business owners like you guys all the time, and it's like that's what excites us is like, you know, our business is supporting other small businesses, like your business is supporting the community, but also like these local farms, you know, and these farms do great work around the around the city, but like you're introducing them to people in St. Charles where they might not have known, you know. And I love how you write the farm names on there of like where stuff's from and and get to support people there. But your food is absolutely fire. So we got to talk about the food a little bit. So when we went there, you guys gave us a lot of different stuff. So one of the things that surprised me a lot was the little sausage links. I ate those for breakfast because you guys gave me like 10 pounds of those. So I ate those for about breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I ate those now. How do you cook those? Because they come in like a little wrap. Explain that to me because I was confused a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

Yeah. So um, so all of our I'm guessing I give you just breakfast sausage. Yeah, I remember. Um so yeah, all of our sausages um are stuffed in natural casing. So it's um, so yeah, the best way to cook them, um, just start low and slow. If you're doing it in a pan, start low. Yeah. Um if you go too high, um, they can your casing can uh can pop, can that's how you can kind of the sausages crack. Um just start low and then kind of once they're kind of cooked all the way through, you can turn up the heat to get a good sear on them. Yeah. Um, but yeah, all of our all of our sausages are um are in uh natural casings, so no collagen casings. They're all made in-house um from the animals that we bring in. Um and we kind of have a rotating, uh we have breakfast sausage most of the time. Um and then we kind of have a rotating, you know, two or three sausages every week that we make. Um we have a long list of them that uh, you know, that have become very popular.

SPEAKER_05 13:20

Yeah, sorry, that was what I was confused about because I had the it had the wrap on there, and I'm like, I guess I'll just cook it in that. And then I was on high, and then yeah, it kind of like, you know, whatever, whatever. But no, that I was really surprised by that. Um, and then obviously had the ribeyes, which were unbelievable. I mean, these things were like an inch, an inch like huge. Um and then the uh pork chop, I think was was unbelievable. Like, you know, typically you get a pork chop from like a grocery store and it's just a little thin and it's dry. Like this pork chop with the little fat on the side, like was my wife doesn't usually eat pork, and she was like, This is unbelievable. And like we got like 10 of those. Yeah, and we ate those for a long time as well, too. But like I was really surprised. I mean, obviously, like ribeyes are ribeyes, but like your ribeyes are like you mentioned, cut the right way. You know, but like the pork, like some of the stuff that you don't think about that you're like, oh, that's just a pork or chicken. It's like it's just different, you know, and it's like the way that you guys, you guys do things there. So, what has the community been gravitating towards? Is there any certain product that you guys are starting to get known by, or is it just kind of whatever's in the case?

SPEAKER_01 14:18

Um, I mean, I mean, our biggest sellers are always gonna be the you know, the strips rebuys, the the fillets. Yep. Um we are, you know, in educating the customer that you know we are unique in a sense that we have many unique cuts that you won't find at grocery stores. Um one example is like the Denvers. Denvers are becoming very, very popular. They're kind of the the trendy cut um that you can't find that are rare that people when we have them in the case, they don't last long at all. They're very eye-catching. They're beautiful marbling. Beautiful marbling. Um, you mentioned pork, like the pork chops. That is one that I think get the most people like people have had good beef. They've had gone to a really nice, you know, restaurant and gotten a really good, you know, cut of beef. But like not a lot of people, I feel like at least out in the county, have like had really good pork before, it seems like. Because like most a lot of people are so surprised when they taste the pork chop and it's cut thicker and so it doesn't get overcooked when you, you know, um, whenever you cook it on the grill, um, they're really surprised by how delicious they are. Yeah, I loved it. It's a much, much different experience eating good pork.

Life Outside the Shop + Cooking at Home

SPEAKER_05 15:27

Yeah, no, I I loved it. And and obviously, like St. Louis is known for the pork steaks, but like, you know, the pork chop still deserves some love too. That's iconic. It really does. Um, and then chicken. I don't know if I got any chicken last time. I obviously got some of the eggs, which like Button Wood, I've had their eggs before. I mean, they're just different, they're so good. Um, I'm excited about the deli meat. So you get the pastrami, the turkey, ham, roast beef. Um, so these sandwiches you guys are gonna be dropping. But and before we get into that, I want to ask, because you guys work in the butcher shop all day. So, what is your go-to? What's your bucket list thing that you like? If it's let's just say you're celebrating the new menu and you're like, all right, I want to cook something. I don't how often do you guys cook at home?

SPEAKER_01 16:04

Um he's home. Uh when I'm home, uh yeah. The few times I'm home, maybe one or two meals a week, but they're usually quick. But you're usually at the shop. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

He's usually at the shop.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

She usually grabs eggs and a bunch of meatballs and does it.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

Yeah, the meatballs are like what my kids ask for every time I say, What do you want for dinner? They say, Meatballs, because the meatballs are so delicious. So we always grab that when we go in there.

SPEAKER_05 16:24

So that's your kids' stuff and they love the eggs. So easy.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

Yeah, the eggs are good. Um, but no, the meatballs, they're easy because they're usually in the freezer. And, you know, I've got some days where everything's really busy in the afternoon. So I just take the meatballs and throw them in the crock pot. Okay. And just let them go, and then I don't have to do anything.

SPEAKER_05 16:40

So we take just eat them up. Oh, they love it.

SPEAKER_02 16:42

And I love it. So it's a win win.

SPEAKER_05 16:43

That's awesome. So then when you're cooking at home, do you usually like get a special little cut that you cut and bring it home?

SPEAKER_01 16:49

Yeah, I usually, you know, there's end cuts of different steaks and stuff like that. And usually, you know, the butcher, the butcher cuts I usually save and you know, bring home. That's dinner on Sunday night and Monday night when I'm home. That's awesome.

Sustainability + Using the Whole Animal

SPEAKER_05 17:01

Yeah, that that would be, you know, it's hard because you talk to restaurant guys all the time, and I have amazing chefs that come on and they date the amount that they actually don't cook at home is crazy. Because I'm like, man, like you feel like I'm like, how lucky is your partner that you have like a chef in the house? It's like actually sucks. Yeah. So you don't want to go home and do what you just did for 12 hours. You just pick something up, you know, or you know, support another one of the local restaurants over there and just bring it home just because you don't feel like even doing dishes or anything. So that's what we did last. Um so you know, when you're looking at, you know, what you guys, you know, what you guys do from a sustainability movement, because I know that that's important with you know the butcher shop industry. So can you talk a little bit about you know how you guys are, you know, are not trailblazing in that, but how you guys are following that and like actually making that an important part of your business?

SPEAKER_01 17:47

Yeah, I mean, just using everything that the animals that we bring in have to offer. Um, I think that's um, I mean, the farmers that we use are um that we get our animals from, um, they care about that. So we know that all the animals that we get are sustainably raised. And then our job in that chain is to make sure we use all of that animal, to make sure that um as little of it as possible goes in the trash can. Um that's you know, selling tallow, selling lard, um, getting creative in ways to use um, you know, use everything the animal has to offer. Um dog, dog food, dog products have been a big thing, you know, using all the bones and the pig ears and all that stuff for dog products just so they don't go to waste has been really great for us.

Ryan’s Butchery Journey + Fine Dining Background

SPEAKER_05 18:35

Yeah, that's really cool. So, when did your passion for butchering come? Because you you were you were a chef, so like were you always kind of around it, or was there a certain time where you kind of fell in love with it?

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Um I my first interest, I mean, I went to culinary school at LaCole culinaire that's uh no longer around anymore. Um, but I mean we did a butchery class in there, and I think that's when I really like when we broke down a hog and you know for class was like, wow, this is awesome. Like this is really cool. Um and that's where adding after that class is when I reached out and I was still in school and I reached out to the bulliers like, hey, if you're hiring, and they weren't for the longest time. So I'll text him like every month for you know, and until finally he was like, Yeah, you know, part-time job. And so I worked there part-time, and that's when I really was like, This is badass, this is awesome. Um didn't know that this would be what we were doing, you know, what we'd be doing 10, 12 years later, but um, that's when I really thought, like, this is awesome. You know, I still love you know, loved being a chef and loved working the line, and there's still nothing quite like it, nothing quite as addicting as working the hot line on a busy Saturday night. But the the everyday just yeah, the hustle of the butcher shop is I love it.

SPEAKER_05 19:47

Yeah, it's good energy in there. Like it's like, you know, it's bright, people can, you know, it's it's chill at some points, it's probably busy at some points, but it's like it's chill during the mornings, like when you can get in there and just lock in and yeah and like create, you know, a product. And and really it's like it's the most, you know, in my eyes, like the most organic. Like, you know, you're bringing that product in and you're you're deciding how it's gonna be cut up, and you're you know, I mean, I saw you guys going crazy and it was awesome. Like, I got to get into your freezer and everything. It was really cool. Um, so fine dining, obviously, you know, nothing quite compares to that. So, like, how do you ever get to itch that? Like, I know you guys do some events and different things like that and and and stuff like that. Do you ever get to get out? I mean, I guess the sandwiches will be fun because you get to get some product out there, but still, like you mentioned that fine dining, that's something about plating.

SWADE Sponsor Spot

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Yeah. Um, no, not really anymore, honestly. Um, it's it's been a minute. Um yeah, it's I really haven't had the time to get into it. Um eventually, we don't, you know, we've talked about like doing some kind of dinners or something like that, but we right we don't have the space for it right now. We would love to find a spot and you know, maybe partner with someone and where we can have a space to be able to do something like that.

SPEAKER_05 20:57

The STL bucket list show is proudly sponsored by Suede Dispensary with 11 Missouri area locations. Sway does so much for the St. Louis community. We've been working with this team for a couple years back since Medical was here, and we're excited to support their new product launches, events, and community initiatives. We couldn't be happier to work with this premier cannabis brand, and we're excited for them to sponsor the show. Enjoy the rest of the podcast.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

Yeah, all these plans in our mind, they kind of like are coming in phases. So, like, first was focused on like just the butcher part of it. We knew the sandwich part would come, and so now we're doing that. And then yeah, he's talked about classes or doing dinners, we've we've talked about doing stuff at like the Field to Table Institute. They have like a really cool event space, and they've mentioned to him before like come on out and cook for us for some events. So once we kind of have this next phase settled, that'll probably be the next like a phase of things that we we go into because he has such uh talent and he is really, really good at uh putting together something that tastes delicious and looks amazing at the same time. And it's Yeah, I am spoiled Mondays and Tuesdays when he comes home. And and that's kind of the place where it's happening right now, but we'd love to bring that out more in like the And you get a little taste of it with the burger pop-ups.

SPEAKER_05 22:09

I know you guys got one coming up on the 29th. So those like from five to seven, you guys are just out in the parking lot. And uh how have those been going?

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Those have been good. Really great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

Yeah. We have uh, you know, we have a we're in a um we're in an apartment complex. The prairie apartment complex. We're on the bottom floor of one of the apartments. So we have uh we have a lot of we have that community behind us that um really come everyone c kind of comes down and uh it's a really good time. We kind of pull a lot of people from the apartments and there's a lot of people just driving by that see us and roll up and want a burger and it's kind of become uh you know, people come out, when are you doing the burgers again? You know. Um it's a it's really good like advertising, people like just driving by, like what is what's going on over there? What's that a big tent, you know? Um so yeah, it's been really great. It's been it's been fun.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Like it's that's where you get like his his like restaurant itch scratch.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you a smash burger guy? Yeah. Uh no. I mean, yeah, I don't mind. I I prefer uh you know a regular burger than a smash burger, but I don't like hate them. I just I would prefer you know a regular burger.

SPEAKER_05 23:14

Yeah, no, I get that. Yeah, the Smash Burger Wave has been like so popular, but then when you go to get like a pub burger from like a nice restaurant, like a thick pub burger, like medium well, it's like it's so good. Yeah. Um, you forget because that was just like all we had, and then Smash Burgers came out, and like everybody wants the crispiest Smash Burger, and they're great. I love them. Yeah, um, I love burgers, but I love burgers, I love fries, like it's just iconic. But so with all these events that you guys are doing, you're also changing some things up in the shop. So, like obviously, the same by the time this podcast episode comes out, sandwiches are gonna be live. So, are those gonna be available all day? Yes, yeah, yeah. So, what are your guys' hours right now?

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Right now we're open um Wednesday through Saturday, we're open 10 to 6. Uh, we'll be doing sandwiches uh 11 to 6. So we'll starting at 11 for sandwiches and Sunday we're open 10 till 2.

Sandwich Launch + New Retail Products

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Um we do open late on Thursdays because you oh yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Yeah, because our uh delivery. We open we're open at 11 on Thursdays. Um and then Sundays are open 10 till two. Open sandwiches eleven till two on Sundays.

SPEAKER_05 24:14

Nice, nice. And then you also have some new retail activations in the in the shop as well. So, like what are some of the products that you're excited about?

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Yeah, so we kind of have this little section and I'm hoping that it'll expand, but we're kind of reaching out to other local folks that are making products in the O'Fallon or you know Winghaven area and bringing their stuff in the house as well. So, for example, we have uh micro bakery um Needed Nook uh that is bringing in sourdough. We have Laney Roasting Company that's bringing in their coffee that they roast. And so these are just like other people that we've met through the community, whether it's been like through social media or the farmer's market or both. And we've tried their stuff and been like, wow, this is really delicious. It'll look really good with everything else we have going on in the shop to kind of work with them. So why not bring them in on this too? Um, so we'll probably expand that. And then I'm kind of on the side in my I don't know if you call it free time, but other time putting together like the tallow bombs and stuff because we have a lot of tallow.

SPEAKER_05 25:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:10

And so that's just some other fun stuff that we've got going on uh aside from like.

SPEAKER_05 25:15

And you guys are doing like the tallow balm, the uh the lotion and like the lotions and stuff for kids. Yeah, I use a baby balm tallow balm from a guy out in Defiance. Um yeah, and it it works like crazy good. So well, yeah. It's crazy good, you know, and it's unscented and everything too. And I even use some like under my eyes too and stuff. It's like it's still the smell still is there, but like my wife, I try to get her to use, she's starting to like it. Yeah, you have to kind of get over like that, and then once you're like using it, like you put like a little bit on and it's a long way. It spreads so far. Yeah, so you're creating the tallow bombs. Are you guys gonna do and then you guys sell your tallow too for like cooking and stuff like that? Yeah, love to cook in the in the tallow as well. Um, I got one. Do you guys do like the garlic one too?

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Or do you have a roasted garlic? Yeah, I have a regular.

SPEAKER_05 26:00

I think I grabbed the garlic one when I was there. Yeah, that one was unbelievable. That thing like made my house smell amazing.

SPEAKER_04 26:04

Really?

Pet Products + Tallow + Community Growth

SPEAKER_05 26:05

Yes, that's good. Um, put that in like a cast iron and just like set the whole house up. Um, and then so that's a part of the you know, using everything that's there. Because like a lot of you know, some of these butchers, you know, they they they'll now it's so popular, but like at one point they would just like get rid of it or sell it or you know, the tallow and stuff like that. But now it's so popular, like people are like wanting it. Yeah, um, all these like brands that are popping up with it. And then any other brands, I know you guys had the pets. Um, is there any other thing that you guys are kind of making and selling that you know that you think is really cool too?

SPEAKER_01 26:35

Our like we mentioned the pets. I do want to shout that. Like our pet food has actually become um pretty popular. We've gotten a lot of uh we have like three or four people now um that are like you know getting getting their monthly pet food. And we do a lot of like we are very customizable. You know, we have our standard like two and a half pound pack that we that we sell out of our freezer. Um like people we do a bulk discount uh for people that want to transition their dog onto our dog food and um and we really work with them. We can change the recipe up if they want something, um, you know, slightly different products in the dog food, if they want different packaging so it fits nicer in the freezer or if it's you know works better for their size dog. Um that's something we're really um we've been really pushing and gotten a lot of really great feedback on. Um and yeah, really customizing exactly what you know each pet owner needs. And they're really passionate too. The pet owners. Oh yeah, they're very passionate, which is uh which is great.

Favorite STL Spots + Food Scene Connections

SPEAKER_05 27:34

Yeah, spare no cost for the dogs and stuff like that, you know, and get that. But yeah, the bones are fun too, and like the stuff. I just met a guy at the at our food truck Friday, he was selling um some natural products with dogs, but it was like these little like this bone that they would just gnaw on and it would just eat down the whole thing. I don't know if it was lower, I don't know what it was, but it was something. It was called three raw hounds that are out in Eureka. But um, you know, they were selling like a bunch of like high-end stuff, and he and people were, you know, buying it. I was like, I don't know. You know, I'm not a dog, I don't have a dog. So I'm like, I don't know how people like I do that with my kids though. Like I buy all these nice products. I think it's comparable like to some people. So um now I guess, you know, what is the thing that, you know, I want to talk about the S Tale bucket list a little bit. So you guys actually let's shift to that because you guys have you know lived all over St. Louis. You obviously lived here in Maplewood. What are some of those spots when you guys do get the chance to, you know, get out and go eat at local restaurants? Like, what are some of those bucket list spots for you guys? Um, I know it doesn't happen as much as it probably used to, you know, but like when you guys do get a chance, like, you know, what are some other you mentioned some of the businesses that are in your store that you guys are now able to support in the farmers market in Lake St. Louis is a good opportunity to meet a lot of those people? There's some incredible entrepreneurs there.

SPEAKER_03 28:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 28:42

But like those date night vibes, so like anniversary, like what are some of those spots that you guys love to when you get a chance, you get the babysitter, you go. Um, does any of any any stick out to you guys?

SPEAKER_02 28:52

There's one place that we went to for our anniversary last year, uh Donatelli's, it's right by our house, is really good Italian food and it's like family friendly, but also like you know, good for date night. So we've been there a couple times with the family. We always by ourselves.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

We always tend to go Italian. I mean anytime we're all Italian and anytime we're like for lunch, we always anytime we're in the city, we like we still have to go to pastory. I've worked there for many. I've worked there for many years, and like she's obsessed and still wants to do it. Or the the the pastor.

SPEAKER_05 29:22

Yeah, like yeah, yeah, yeah. Their deli is good too. They get some good sandbows there too. Yes, they just went super viral online about their little their chicken Caesar sandwich. I saw it not sandwich, but the little chicken wrap. It like went crazy. Oh, right. People get lines out the door to get it. Oh my goodness. When stuff goes viral on TikTok, it's weird. Like, people do that's what we need to do when we come out and do the menu with you guys. We need line. If a line comes out at the door the next day, then it works.

SPEAKER_02 29:42

Come on, uh yeah, yeah. That's what we want.

SPEAKER_05 29:45

The STL bucket list show is fueled by Upshot Coffee. My friends at Upshot Coffee have some of the best beans in town. I got some of their new packaging here. Look at this bag. How big this is. Um, they have four St. Louis locations, their flagship in Coddleville, the break shop over by Lindenwood in St. Charles, their Clayton location called Hi-Fi, um, and then Flyby over in Tower Grove, their newest location. Um, and they also sell their coffee online everywhere. If you guys haven't added Upchot Coffee to your STL bucket list, it's time to try it. Some of the my favorite people in the industry and some of the best coffee in the game. Uh, but yeah, pastoria is yeah, really good. So I uh you guys know my friend Elliot, but we he worked at the restaurant next door. What was that called? I worked with the that's where we met with them. Yeah. Yeah. So I used to sit right in that. We'd always get the table right in the window. Now it's like the retail, but like you would get that little window, and you were surrounded by like four windows, it was like the best table in the restaurant. And now that's the deli now.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:43

Um, but that was a that was a really good, a good restaurant. I remember that. But yeah, Gerard does a good job. I mean, there's so many talented chefs that you know, I was had been promo on recently. I mean, there's just people doing crazy stuff.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Um it's kind of cool. Like, I'm not a chef, but I have seen him make all these connections and like you know, he started at Sardella. That was his first, like, you know, cooking job, and then he became the sous chef and then Castella, and then him and Elliot and Evie, like they all came together and there were others too to open the last hotel. Then he goes back to Bulliards, helps them open that. Now Elliot's doing the biscuit joint. He's got scouts, and Evie's doing stuff with Gerard still, and he's got the butcher shop. So, like from an outsider's perspective, watching all of this is really cool.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

Enoch is Enoch doesn't eat outside.

SPEAKER_02 31:27

Enoch has been awesome the whole way, and now he's got his catering stuff, and yeah, it's amazing from my perspective to like watch this like next group of chefs like do their own.

SPEAKER_05 31:37

That happened pretty quick. I mean, that was only 10 years ago. I mean, this might not even have been 10 years ago, because I'm 30. This would have been like seven years ago at Sardella, probably. I think 22, 23.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

Ended your culinary school around 10 years ago, your your program. So roughly.

SPEAKER_05 31:50

Yeah, there's a lot of talented young chefs that are doing really cool stuff, like these new concepts, and they're so creative from a branding perspective. And like the biscuit joint, we worked on that when they launched, and like we've done great with that place, crushes, and and then obviously scouts, and then um the last hotel, yeah. I remember because Brandon was working there too. And then we would we would go, and Brandon grew up in Winghaven too. And we all lived like I mean, Elliot lived in Darden Prairie, his parents said we all lived within like a block of where you guys are at right now, so you know that's really cool too. But the um the last hotel, I actually was just I'm working down on Washab doing some development content. They're bringing that back. It's coming back.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

The the hotel is yeah, yeah, it's coming back open.

SPEAKER_05 32:27

Yeah, so it's coming back. So I don't know, an investor bought it and they're gonna try to. Yeah, I don't know if it's gonna be called The Last Hotel, but that building is coming back.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

But I remember building it is a cool building, it has a lot of potential, a lot of a lot of good and very bad memories. But uh it is a beautiful. I hope it does well because it is a cool building and cool concept.

Building Community in Dardenne Prairie

SPEAKER_05 32:47

Yeah, the open kitchen was like really awesome. And then upstairs, like obviously the pool, like getting to like get the you know, like fries and a burger up on the rooftop with those views are just unbelievable. So yeah, St. Louis has so many, you know, and I know that you guys wish that you probably could get out more and like go to these places because it is like seeing it on Instagram is not enough. Like liking a picture, it's like I want to get out there and but it's just phases that you're in, like you're building your business right now, and it's like you're so locked in and so focused on what you're doing. And like, especially I talk to you a lot, like you guys are like from the marketing perspective, like you are doing everything you can. Um, and there's still other stuff that you have to do. It's like, you know, you can only post so many times, you can only spend so many ads and different things and different things like that. But it's like it is such a grassroots thing that like you're gonna wake up in five years and be like, okay, like we are that butcher shop for where we are, you know. Like when you think of the places out there that um like the Meninos of the world and the uh what's the one on Vivianos and like all these other like places that are just community staples that you know, every party that I have, every graduation that I have, you just grab you know stuff from there. And and uh, you know, I live in Caudleville, so you you know, I get to see, you know, up there all the time and like the community, how they come around, like these stores and different things like that. And that's what you guys are gonna create. Now that Darden Prairie has like this more density there of like more people, like those apartments and obviously the homeowners and the younger wave of homeowners that are moving into Winghaven and and stuff like that. And the stuff that the developers are doing there, I mean, with the the new sugar fire down there is unbelievable. Yeah, um, the the liquor store there. Um, and I don't even know. I just drove there the other day because my parents still live there, but like right on the on uh is that Highway Inn or Post. No, it's like the new development. They have the dog hospital and then more apartments going in.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Yeah, yeah, the prairie encore, yeah. That's like the same development that yeah, they've kind of sister development. Yeah, I saw the dog hospital. I'm like, oh my gosh, this thing looks sick.

SPEAKER_05 34:31

Yeah, it's nice. Um, so what is it? Um, I guess now that you guys live out there, like, I mean, building the community out there, like how is how has that been and like what are what are you know, obviously you guys are so for the community now with your store, but like what what's that been like for you and like what does that mean for you guys?

SPEAKER_02 34:46

It's been exciting to like just it's a small town. So like we've been uh going out in the community and meeting new people, making new connections, which is really fun. And then just being able to hear about what they're doing and create these partnerships, you know, like with who we're working with in the shop and but see other businesses and get to make connections with them as well, because it can be a little lonely running a business by yourself. And so making those connections is really helpful just to kind of have like a support system around you and be a support system for others as well. Um, but it's really funny, you know. We'll wear our quarter butcher shirts out and someone will say, like, oh, I've heard of you guys, and then we find out like our kids and they're in the same class at school, you know. So it's it's fun making those new connections and hearing people get excited about what we're doing because we're excited about it, obviously, but getting like that external validation of yeah, this is really cool is just really fun.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

Yeah, you mentioned like the other businesses, like really that's that has been cool. I just meeting, you know, crossroads brewery across the street with them. You know, we did a pop-up uh over there a couple weeks ago, and like they're just great guys, like they're um they're just in it to um they have a passion for making beer and to for hanging out with their buddies, you know, and so they open up this brewery and like they don't have plans to you know go retail, whatever, just selling out of their small little brewery and they're and they're awesome. Like they come in all the time and they want to work with us and just making those connections, working with Megan, your you know, your sister or cousin, sorry. Yeah, um yeah, like all the all the shops that have gone in next to us and meeting all them and figuring out ways that we could potentially work together, even if the businesses don't necessarily, you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:28

Like for International Women's Day, I was like, hey, look at all these businesses, let's talk about that.

Closing Thoughts + Where to Find The Quarter Butcher

SPEAKER_05 36:32

Like all and that community is not used to like being able to have that many local entrepreneurs out there all in one quarter block, quarter butcher, all in one quarter block, like wasn't like the norm there. I mentioned when before you guys came on, like when I used to go to the gas station and I would get food out of the corner of the guy, like that was all we had at that moment. So, like giving people options, but with options becomes competition, and it's like, okay, how do we position ourselves as a company that that people want to support, you know? And it's like, you know, it's you guys are a high-end butcher shop. It's like, okay, how do we provide a high-end service and customer service? And if somebody DMs you guys with questions, like you're answering, like literally like that fast, like you can't get that. And that's like no AI automations, no like technology can replace like going in and talking to a butcher shop and like actually because like the next time you go in, you get to you see the same people over and over again. And that's just like every month, it's just building up new customers, and it's like, okay, how do we take care of our customers and then how do we support our customers as well? Um, so no, I think you guys have built an awesome business. I'm glad that we were able to do the podcast. And I'm super excited. Julie and I are gonna have lunch with you next uh Thursday. Uh I think around like two or three. Um, so you know, we're gonna do another video. Hopefully, it goes viral like the last one did. That one went kind of crazy. That one went kind of crazy. That one went kind of crazy. So the video I think we'll do next week, and then this podcast coming out the 20th, and then the video come out right before um, you know, the holiday and stuff like that. So um should be good momentum. And um, but yeah, no, I'm super excited. And um, thank you guys for coming on and thank you guys for spending the time with us today, too. I appreciate it. Where can people follow you guys? And then what's the website that people can look at you guys too?

unknown 38:06

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 38:06

So the website is the quarterbutcher.com, and we have a Facebook page, an Instagram page, and I've also started a TikTok now. So just at the Quarter Butcher, getting getting everywhere we can on social media. But and then if you ever have to contact us, you can always call the shop too. Um they're always Ryan's always there, always.

SPEAKER_01 38:25

If you want to talk to me, come to the shop or call the shop. That's where I'll be if you want to talk to me. You DM you have a lot of people. Go to socials for her. But either way, yeah, we'll uh we'll go back to the show.

SPEAKER_02 38:33

Yeah, we have lots of spots to connect.

Bucket List Podcast Network Outro

SPEAKER_05 38:35

Awesome. Well, thank you guys for coming on today. Can't come to watch. It's been great. St. Louis, thanks for listening. Everything we do here is about telling the story of this city, and that doesn't stop with this show. On the Bucketless Podcast Network, we're diving even deeper into the people, places, and moments that make this city what it is. Meet Me in Music with Neil Salc captures the sound of the city, past and present, ending each episode with a live performance. For my Foodie Lovers, the sauce with Lauren Healy brings you inside the restaurants that define our culture every Tuesday. Gateway to Growth with Jamal Cornelius highlights the stories behind the people that make St. Louis work. And every Thursday, Bryce breaks down your weekend with This Week in St. Louis. More stories, more voices. Explore the full bucket list podcast network wherever you listen.