When you need high-quality meats, you want to go to a knowledgeable butcher you can trust. If you’re in the Evansville area, Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe is just the place. Brothers Chris and Mike Baumgart own and operate this shop in which they were practically raised. The meat is fresh, the prices are low, and the service is beyond excellent. We spoke with Chris to learn more about the business.
How did Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe start?
“My father, Mike Baumgart, started this store back in 1983. Me and my brother bought it from him four years ago. My father was located on the west side of Evansville for about a year and then relocated to our current location, and we’ve been here ever since then. He learned the trade out in California and then brought it out here.
My brother and I have been raised in this business all of our lives, so it’s second nature to us. I definitely always wanted to be a part of the family business.”
How has this business evolved over these last 35 years?
“Different cuts of meat have evolved over time, but nothing has changed majorly. My dad always instilled in us that customer service and quality are key, and that’s how we continue to run our business to this day. With technology, we’re able to do a lot more in terms of social media advertising and different tools like that. But, for the most part, we stick to the basics and the old-fashioned values.”
Can you talk about your recent 35th anniversary event?
“The event was a fun way to celebrate our anniversary with our customers. We did giveaways throughout the day on Saturday, we had a live remote radio station here at the shop on Friday and Saturday, and we gave a grand prize of a Weber Grille and a gift card from our shop. We also set up tables and chairs and grilled hamburgers and hotdogs all day and gave those out to our customers.
It sounds like you are truly connected to the community. How else is Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe connected to Evansville?
“We definitely give back to our community as much as possible. We give to different local organizations– probably about 300 or 400 different organizations throughout the year. Our giving might be a monetary donation or it might be helping at an event.
We get our sides of beef from local farmers. I don’t go to those farms directly, but the slaughterhouse gets the beef from them. They’re all within a 30-45 mile radius.”
What have been some of the highlights?
“I love helping my customers. There’s not really one highlight I can point to from my time here, but I overall love what I do.
This shop is special to me because it’s been a part of my life since I was a little kid. I grew up in this shop– making meat seasoning and packaging meat seasoning. I have a memory from my childhood where I would come in the shop and get a cold hotdog as a treat. All the other kids would want cookies or candy, and I wanted a cold hotdog. My dad loves to tell that story.
One of the coolest thing is seeing the generations come in here. We have grandmothers, mothers, and daughters all coming through our store. It’s pretty cool to see that.”
Is there anything else people should know about Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe?
“There’s a lot people may not know about us. For example, we have a full deli where we do hams, turkeys, and cheeses. We also do salads like ham salads with pimento cheese, potato salads, and different varieties like that. We’re a one-stop shop where you can get a full meal all in one place. We also have frozen fruits and vegetables, and other groceries.”
When you shop at Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe, you’re buying from a family-owned business that cares deeply about its customers and the Evansville community. That’s one of the benefits of shopping local! Before you head out to get your meat and other groceries, be sure to download Towny. Towny is the FREE app that connects you with perks in your local community.