Old-time Butcher Back in University City
Philadelphia, PA 18 August, 2003 --—Beginning August 19th, University City will gain a true neighborhood resource—an authentic community butcher shop. Local butcher shops used to flourish throughout Philadelphia, but they have increasingly been replaced by pre-packaged meats from supermarket chains. Troy Baynum hopes to reverse this development with the opening of Baynum’s Butcher Block at The Firehouse Farmers Market at 50th and Baltimore Avenue in University City.
Troy has worked in the meat industry for over 20 years, and he sees himself at the cusp of a developing trend. "Supermarkets are doing away with butchers in favor of pre-packaged, ‘case-ready’ meats," he claims, "now, if you want a particular cut of meat that’s not in the case, there is often no butcher to do it for you." Not so at Baynum’s. It will be a full-service shop, offering fresh, custom-cut beef, pork, veal, lamb, poultry, and sausages, as well as smoked meats and deli items from local supplier Dietz & Watson. If you want something he doesn’t stock, such as, say, a whole pig, Troy has no problem ordering it for you.
Eli Massar, Corridor Manager for University City District’s initiative to reinvigorate Baltimore Avenue is thrilled "to have quality, fresh ingredients that can be hard to find in University City. Baynum’s is a real boon to the area," he continues, "since one of the top requests by Baltimore Avenue shoppers in a recent survey was more choice in groceries." "I want to be the local butcher the neighborhood comes to," says Troy, "by offering a wide selection of items at reasonable prices. I love the diversity of this neighborhood, and I hope to show the community the real difference in quality when meat is bought fresh."
Baynum’s Butcher Block
Firehouse Farmers Market, 50th & Baltimore Ave.
215-724-7660
Hours: Mon., 8 am-2 pm; Tu.-Sat., 8 am-7 pm
University City District builds effective partnerships to maintain a clean and safe environment and to promote, plan, and advocate for University City's diverse urban community. UCD's programs to improve streetscapes and parks, remove trash and graffiti, provide technical assistance to home- and business owners, increase public safety, and publicize University City's advantages have improved the quality of life since 1997. For more information, visit www.UCityphila.org.
Release Date: Monday, August 18th 2003
