Justin Herd opened his second butcher shop at the Oneida Shops in Park Hill in 2019, and enjoys catering to customers’ individual preferences with special orders. Local Butcher specializes in locally-sourced and humanely-raised meats but also sells fish. Herd says his “supply chain is strong” and the store remains open.

“No antibiotics. No feed lots. Locally sourced.” Justin Herd, owner of Local Butcher at the Oneida Shops in Park Hill easily sums up his shop’s values and unique market niche. “We have connections with so many people in our lives that sell us things—our cars, our house. But when it comes to what we actually put inside our bodies, it seems to have gotten lost with the big grocery stores, and you’re reading…confusing labels.”

Herd sources his meats from small farmers in Greeley. Local Butcher only sells pasture-raised meats, including beef, pork, and lamb. The processing facility they use relies on Temple Grandin’s methods to reduce animal stress, he says, and the result is a much more humane and better-tasting final product.

The Local Butcher also carries products to cook their meats and fish to perfection.

Local Butcher cuts and processes its meats for customers, from ribeye steaks to blood sausage and oxtails. Herd says his products are competitively priced and often less expensive than large natural grocery chains. Additionally, “We’re small enough that we can accommodate customers quickly with special orders,” says Herd. He likens his neighborhood butcher shop to people’s small craft breweries, and appreciates that “changing people’s grocery shopping habits takes time.”

Local Butcher offers a truly local touch, with Herd offering cooking suggestions for everything he sells. He also shares advice that may save customers money, citing as an example beef stroganoff. Though the recipe calls for beef filet, Herd says this cut is “insanely expensive, but you can use tops or loin if you let us trim it up and cut the pieces correctly, and not a single person will know [that it’s not filet].”

To order delivery or pickup orders, go to www.thelocalbutcherdenver.com. Herd says, “We are here to support our surrounding neighborhoods and don’t have any intention of closing. We are well stocked and our supply chain is strong!”

Local Butcher is at 2241 Oneida in Oneida Park, with another location at Denver Central Market. Check website for store hours and call 303-974-1020 for special orders: https://thelocalbutcherdenver.com/