Focus on natural products sets new Lynchburg butcher shop apart

A new butcher shop opening in Lynchburg this week is bringing fresh meat to Bedford Avenue that its owner believes will be a cut above all others in the area.

Bedford Avenue Meat Shop, across the street from Food Lion, will sell a variety of meats, cheeses and produce, as well as some prepared dishes.

Some of the meat will be organic, and some will come from local farms. All of it will be raised using natural and humane practices, said owner Brealand Sandhoff.

“You can pop in and put together a very nice meal, and know where your meat came from,” she said.

Sandhoff said it can be a challenge to get naturally raised products in the Lynchburg area.

About five years ago, Sandhoff and one of her business partners, Stella Freeo, ran Hammerhead Mill Farm in Evington. They allowed customers to come on to the farm and pick their own produce, which was a popular activity at first.

“That was great for a while,” Sandhoff said. But “it was just too much for people to come out there and get it. They loved doing it, but who has the time? It requires a slower pace of life.

“People are so busy anymore, people just couldn’t come to the farm.”

Sandhoff lived in Charlottesville for several years and frequented an organic butcher shop there. She decided Lynchburg needed a shop like it to bring together high-quality produce and meat.

She spent about a year researching the idea, finding suppliers and piquing the interest of potential customers. “Anywhere I go, I try to talk to people about it,” she said.

Sandhoff asked people how important it is for them to have meat from animals that were raised humanely. She didn’t get a conclusive response.

“Some people didn’t care, and some did,” she said. “I wasn’t sure if I cared all that much if other people cared. I know what my own standards are.”

She said people need to try the natural and humanely raised meat to decide what they think of the quality, but she has made up her mind.

“I’ve found it to be excellent every time,” Sandhoff said. “I’m confident that the quality will go beyond anything that you can get around here.”

Sandhoff said the shop will sell pork, beef, chicken, bison and duck, as well as sausages made on site. Local artesian cheeses and produce will be sold, too.

When local meats aren’t available, the store will have Meyer Natural Angus, raised on a certified humane ranch in Montana.

A chef will prepare some foods on site and will offer advice on how to cook the meats and cheeses, Sandhoff said.

The shop is located just down the road from Blue Marlin Seafood Market, which sells fresh fish. Sandhoff said a number of Blue Marlin customers have stopped by the shop to inquire about when it will open, and she hopes to see some synergy between the two shops.

She said she believes the price of meats will be comparable to prices in local grocery stores. Although it might be more expensive, she said the quality makes it worthwhile.

“I feel that it’s worth it for something you’re going to put in your body.”