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 Before
the cut began at 10 a.m. the new business located at the
intersection of Kickapoo and Broadway Streets was abuzz with
shoppers. Some of those in the store Saturday morning were customers
who have been shopping at the store since its opening a few weeks
ago. Others were coming in the door for the first time.
Return shoppers and first-time guests were all able to see quickly
that the new business owned by Terry and Robin McClallen is more
than a place to purchase fresh cut meats, it is also a deli and a
boutique grocery store, offering Midwest grown and manufactured
foods.
The meats the store sells are locally sourced from Little Blue’s
Farms in the Morton area. Many of the packaged foods are Amish
products and include everything from canned fruits and vegetables to
uniquely flavored barbecue sauces such as apple butter BBQ and more.
The shop also sells novelty flavored snack foods like potato chips
labeled as a cherry BBQ.
The deli offers cold cuts sliced to order including
meats and cheeses plus a variety of cold salads like macaroni salad,
potato salad and others. Another popular offering in the deli case
is the twice-baked baked potato that is a take and heat item packed
with all the fixin’s that tater lovers love.
Each day, the store offers a sacked lunch that includes cold cuts on
slider buns with a bag of chips and a choice of cold salad.
Terry and Robin McClallen have an interesting background. The two
have raised a family and enjoyed careers. Having reached that
well-seasoned stage of life, they have retired and now are enjoying
something that Robin referred to once as Terry’s retirement dream
come true.
But for both, this is more than just a hobby or something to do for
a little while. It is an opportunity to return to something that
dwells within their heart, soul, and even their blood.
While Terry is most recently retired from a corporate position with
Integrity Data in Lincoln, he grew up in a family with grocer roots.
So in the case of Terry McClallen it is “been there, done that,
gonna’ do it again!”
Robin spent years in the deli at Kroger and learned the ins and outs
of customer service, taking care of inventory, anticipating, and
appreciating the market for quick and easy foods.
With this venture, the two said in a recent interview with Lincoln
Daily News, that they are looking to fill a niche that has been
vacant in Lincoln. Terry said he wanted to stress that they were not
there to compete with other grocers in Lincoln, their goal is to
keep in Lincoln the shoppers that leave town looking for meat
markets. He said that there are people who do leave this town and
travel to Bloomington or Springfield to shop because both towns have
meat markets similar to what the McClallens are offering now in
Lincoln.
He said that in those larger towns, the markets offer meat bundles
that are popular with out of town shoppers because they can buy a
larger quantity of products at a package price. He said J & M is
offering bundles as well and they are competitive with those out of
town markets.
The advantage to having the market in town though is for those who
would buy but don’t have the bundle space. Now those shoppers do not
need to leave town, they can run in and make a few quick purchases
and know that they are getting the best and freshest that the market
has to offer.
Terry said that in addition, there is another
difference in the products they are providing. That difference comes
in knowing the supplier and knowing the product. With Little Blue’s
Farms being within driving distance of Lincoln, the McClallens know
the farm family and know how the animals are being raised. Roving
stressed in the interview and on Saturday Terry re-stated that the
beef, pork and poultry products are fed organic non-GMO feeds and
are raised humanely.
Talking about getting the business off the ground, the McClallen’s
said they had their fair share of struggles with getting the work
done on the building, setting up suppliers and getting staff in
place, but they have found it to be well worth all the hard work.
Robin remembered being outside one day in front of the store
scrubbing and cleaning the front windows. A youngster came by and
stopped to ask her what she was doing. She told him. He asked her if
she was going to open a new store and what kind. When she told him
it was going to be a meat market, his comment was, “Mom will like
that cause now she won’t have to go to Bloomington to get meat
anymore.” She said that small conversation made all the work and
worry worth the effort.
On Saturday when 10 a.m. arrived a large group went
outside to watch the ribbon cutting that would take place in front
of the store’s large front window.
The cut began with Lincoln City Clerk Peggy Bateman and Lynnette
Welch stringing the ribbon and the McClallen’s and staff taking
center stage surrounded by special guests.
Behind the ribbon were Terry and Robin and their
daughter Carrie McClallen. They were joined by their staff, Mike
Robbins, Katie Overbey, Anna Coleman, Mikayla Overbey and Ali Petro.
Also behind the ribbon were Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch, alderpersons
Wanda Lee Rohlfs and Kevin Bateman, Pastor Larry Crawford, and
building owner Ethan Hoinacki.
Mayor Welch was the first person called on to speak.
He said that he wanted to Congratulate the McClallens and noted that
what he has watched was a transformation into an amazingly beautiful
store that was an asset to the downtown area.
Alderwoman Wanda Lee Rohlfs said that she has already
shopped the store a few times and was so pleased with her purchases.
She said that she had been impressed by how helpful the staff had
been and she loved the friendliness of the staff as well as Terry
and Robin. She also reminded the crowd that years ago there was a
popular meat market on Sangamon Street in Lincoln. She said that
seeing this particular type of offering return to the heart of the
city made her very happy. She wished the pair and their staff great
success for years to come.
Alderman Kevin Bateman said he would simply “copy and
paste” everything Rohlfs had said. He said that as an alderman
representing the downtown area with Rohlfs, he is excited and happy
to see how the town is revitalizing. He said that he loves seeing
businesses come to the city and he has loved seeing the McClallens
take this vacant store front and turn it into something very
special.
Ethan Hoinacki owns the building where the market is
located, along with a number of other locations in the heart of the
city. He was acknowledged for his vision of a bigger and better
retail district. Asked if he wanted to address the group, he said
simply that he was really excited to be a part of the rebuilding of
the heart of the city. He said also that this is something that is
being done for the community, for the people who live here, and for
their quality of life.
Terry spoke for the McClallens and their staff
starting with expressing gratitude for the support he and Robin have
received from their family, friends and their church family. He said
that if was a day of thanksgiving and being grateful for what God
has done. He quipped, “It is said it takes a village to raise a
child. Well, it takes multiple tribes to open a business, and we
have had several tribes helping us along the way.” He went on to
thank the church and Pastor Larry Crawford for their continued
support. He said he was grateful for the business connections they
have made and for the relationship they have with building owner
Etham Hoinacki.
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He then said that many people may have wondered why
in their retirement they have decided to start a new business from
the ground up. He said that it was evident that they are not 20
years old and diving into a new business, but there were a number of
“whys” for this move. He said first, they wanted to offer people the
opportunity to purchase quality meats without leaving town.
Moreover, he said that a big “why” is that he and Robin believe
there is still a lot of untapped potential in the city of Lincoln.
He said, “we want to be a part of the untapped potential, a part of
helping Lincoln reach its potential.”
McClallen went on to say that he knew that Lincoln was a hub
community, the hub of central Illinois as well as being in the heart
of agriculture. He said that being an agricultural community, it is
important that agriculture be the focus for the role it plays in the
food chain.
McClallen recognized Adam Rupp and members of his
family who were on hand from Little Blue’s Farm. He said they were
offering responsibly grown meat products and also outstanding
service. He said that offering good service was a big part of what
the store will offer and he sees the staff they have on hand as a
blessing and a key component of offering that great customer service
experience for shoppers.
He noted in particular that Mike Robbins and Katie
Overbey have years of retail experience and have been great assets
for the market.
He also called out to Dave Whiteman of Advance Heating and Cooling
who was there to witness the ribbon cut. McClallen said that
Whiteman had been completely committed to helping get the building
ready for the meat market. He thanked Whiteman for his dedication
and commitment to quality work and service.
Pastor Crawford was the last person to speak before
the cutting of the ribbon. He said that he was proud of the
McClallens for what they are doing and appreciated the hard work it
had taken for them to get to this day. He said that he prays for
God’s blessing on the business and on the city on the whole. He
often says that “the best is yet to come” and he believes that to be
true.
With the speeches completed, it was time for the
posed picture before the ribbon cut. All those watching were allowed
the opportunity to get their photos, then the crowd led the
traditional chant of three-two-one-snip when Robin and Terry snipped
the ribbon on their new business to the applaud and cheers of the
crowd.
After the cut it was mentioned by Robin that local artist Tony Shuff
was working on three hand painted murals for the inside of the store
and would be working in the store on those paintings. Everyone was
invited to stop by and watch Tony work his magic for a while.
J & M Meat Market is located at 101 South Kickapoo Street in Lincoln
at the intersection of Kickapoo and Broadway Streets. Store hours
are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday’s 8 a.m. to noon
and closed on Sunday.
You can also shop online at J&M Meat Market | Lincoln, IL (jandmmeatmarket.com)
[Nila Smith]
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