Opening of new Critchfield’s on Southland delayed. Here’s what to expect at the store.
Critchfield Meats has moved to its new location on Southland Drive and will open to customers next week.
President Mark Critchfield said they planned to open on Nov. 6 but mechanical issues have pushed the opening to Nov. 11 at the earliest.
“We’ll still operate under the old Critchfield Meat hours of 8 to 6, Monday through Saturday and 11 to 5 on Sunday,” he said.
But a few things are not quite ready yet, such as the famous Save-A-Lot fried chicken.
It’s still coming, but not until after the first of the year, he said. But as soon as the holiday rush is over they will start testing the equipment and famous recipe and handing out free samples.
“We want to make sure we get it just right,” he said. He said they get calls or people stopping by almost every other day to ask about the chicken, which was a big seller in Lexington and popular for tailgating.
In the meantime, customers will be able to come in and place orders for holiday turkeys, hams, pies and sides, or order on the phone (859-276-4965). Critchfield said they plan to have plenty available.
“We’ll try to do extra and go above and beyond,” he said. “We’re working 24-7 to get that done.”
Critchfield’s closed its longtime location on Nicholasville Road last month. They have been a Lexington butcher since 1969.
The new store, which is in the former Save-A-Lot space, also will have fresh turkeys as well as lots of meats, from locally sourced grass-fed beef to bargain options.
“Our meat department will be open and mostly be stocked. We’ll have a frozen foods section stocked, we’ll have our dairy section stocked, our produce section stocked, and some deli items that we make stocked,” he said.
The store will carry a variety of regular grocery items too, he said.
Eventually the store will add the fried chicken and hot bar, as well as a new Butch’s Grill, named for his late father Butch Critchfield, who founded the company. Opal’s Bakery, named for his mother, also will open inside the store.
The bakery will carry made-from-scratch items including jam cake, pies and more.
When the weather gets warm, the new store will have seating outdoors as well as indoors, as allowed, with a walk-up window for carryout.
Critchfield said he plans to have an old “soda fountain” counter, too.
“I hope this becomes a neighborhood thing,” he said. “I hope it becomes more than just a grocery store. I want it to be a family-oriented supermarket. I plan on having events in the parking lot.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
