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July 6, 2009

Butcher returns to his hometown

By Paul Leighton

BEVERLY — George Wickers grew up in Beverly and moved away years ago. Last week he made his return in the form of the Beverly Butcher Shop, which he opened along with his daughter, Rachel.

Wickers lives in Ipswich and runs the Ipswich Butcher Shop, but he's glad to be back in his hometown, where his grandfather, Thomas Wickers, served as mayor from 1958 to 1965.

The Beverly Butcher Shop is located in the Bass River Plaza on Elliott Street. We stopped by to ask Wickers a few questions about his new business.

How did you get into the butcher shop business?

I've been in the food industry all my life. I had a seafood business in the '70s and '80s and a ran a small fresh produce store in New Hampshire for 25 years. In 2006 I went to Ipswich.

Are you worried about starting a new business in this economy?

No, because I've got quality and I love what I do. We've got 60 or 70 items. It's a small store.

What's the key to a good butcher shop?

High-grade quality. The best of the best. ... No antibiotics, no growth hormones. The whole industry is going that way.

What's your most unusual item?

Probably the portabella blue cheese chicken sausage and the spinach and feta chicken sausage. People are loving the homemade sausage.

How's business so far?

The response has been so good. People are coming in and saying, 'Finally.' Beverly hasn't had a butcher shop in awhile.

Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or at pleighton@salemnews.com.

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