Our Story
From Humble Beginnings
As a kid, I remember visiting my extended family’s meat processing plant in Cuba City, Wisconsin - and I was fascinated by it. I served as a Machinegunner in the Marine Corps, tried and failed at being smart in college, and worked under the DoS DSS for a few years. Eventually, I asked myself what I really wanted to be when I grew up - and those memories of Cuba City led me to ask for a job at a butcher shop.
A Craft Learned by Doing
I’ve now been a butcher for six years. Sometimes that doesn’t feel like long, but I’ve packed in a wide range of experience. I started at a small, whole-animal boutique butcher shop focused on craftsmanship, where I learned to appreciate the fine details of seam butchery.
Seeing the Whole Picture
Being naturally curious, I wanted to understand what happens before the meat even gets to the shop. That led me to work part-time on the kill floor of the slaughter facility that supplied beef for the shop. There, I learned firsthand about the most important step in the entire industry - the moment an animal’s life is taken. The experience was invaluable, thanks to its small scale and focus on explaining each detail.
Rooted in Family Tradition
I eventually transitioned to working full-time at the slaughter facility and did an extended, informal internship at Weber Meats in Cuba City. My first cousin once-removed is the fourth-generation owner of Weber Meats, which has been open since 1905. While there, I spent time in numerous other facilities, including the University of Wisconsin’s Meat Science Department - an experience that shaped my dedication to continuous learning. To this day, if I’m out of town, I make it a point to visit a butcher shop or processing plant in order to expose myself to as much variety and as many efficiencies as I can.
Growing the Skillset
Eventually, I knew I wanted to run my own shop. I wasn’t getting the volume or variety I needed, so I joined the biggest player in the greater St. Louis area: Wenneman Meat Co. I went from four full-time employees to more than 65 - and I learned more than I ever imagined. The scale and the volume - it pushed me every day to hone my skills.
Local Farms, Better Beef
Our beef comes from Price Family Farms in Troy, MO, where cattle spend their lives on forage-rich pastures and are never confined to feedlots or treated with hormones or antibiotics. They graze rotationally and, in their final months, get a daily ration of grain to ensure the marbling we all love - before returning to pasture.
More Than a Butcher Shop
Our first offering is private beef processing for individuals and households, with an extensive cut list and unmatched willingness to customize. As we grow, The Malt House Butcher will expand into charcuterie and a full retail butcher shop. Our mission is to provide not only exceptional meat, but the knowledge to prepare it - with an experience that’s approachable and neighborly.
