New downtown Lexington butcher is one of only two Certified Angus Beef Ky. retailers
Once upon a time, it was commonplace to see stores in downtown Lexington, including small groceries.
Now, a specialty butcher shop is reviving the tradition.
VanMeter James, a boutique butcher shop that specializes in Certified Angus Beef, has opened at 333 E. Main St., Suite 160.
Owner Rudy Leake used to be a cattle farmer raising black Angus calves in Clark County but a few years ago he zeroed in on the finished product and began researching their beef.
Last year he sold his half of the herd and developed a business plan for VanMeter James, which is named for Leake’s children.
“I came upon a company called Certified Angus Beef, which has higher end meat,” Leake said. “I like nicer steaks, so instead of offering a wide range of beef, I’m going to offer a select group of steaks only from Certified Angus Beef.”
There is only one other Certified Angus Beef retailer in Kentucky: Meijer, which doesn’t offer the specialty cuts available at VanMeter James.
Leake only offers Certified Angus Beef, and Certified Angus Beef Prime Beef. Only the top 3% of beef qualifies to be rated as Prime.
To go with the select cuts, which can be pre-ordered online, VanMeter James will offer Miyabi Japanese knives, Teakhaus cutting boards, Peugeot spice mills, and specialty herb butters. The shop’s website and social media platforms will offer recipes, tips, how-to videos, and more, designed to provide customers with all they need to create unforgettable dining experiences of their own, without the need for a restaurant or professional chef.
Leake hopes people, like him, who like better beef will be receptive to the shop.
“It’s more of us trying to put out an experience and help people learn a new and fun and creative way to have a dining experience,” Leake said.
All the steaks will be hand-selected, cut and wet-aged for 28 days, which results in a juicier steak, he said. The shop also will do custom cuts on site and sell whole roasts or loins too.
Prices are premium, about $10 more than you might expect to pay in a typical grocery store, he said.
On a recent trip to the store, the 8 oz. filet was $28.72 with the Prime 8 oz. filet coming in at $44.
VanMeter James butcher shop cuts of meat
VanMeter James will offer eight standard cuts:
▪ Filet (8 oz.)
▪ Bone-In Filet (12-14 oz.)
▪ NY Strip (16 oz., 2” thick)
▪ Bone-In NY Strip (18 oz., 2”)
▪ Ribeye (16 oz., 2”)
▪ Bone-In Ribeye (20 oz., 1.5”)
▪ T-Bone (22 oz., 1.25”)
▪ Porterhouse (30 oz., 1.5”)
Leake said that this summer he hopes to offer catering with a chef who can bring meals to a home or venue; customers will be able to keep the cutting board, knives and spices.
VanMeter James
Where: 333 E. Main St., Suite 160
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: 859-353-3226
Online: instagram.com/_vanmeterjames_/, vanmeterjames.com
