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It’s David vs. Goliath
The Meat House is a booming 17-store franchise. Celestino’s is a tiny, funky, locally owned butcher shop. Is that a fair fight?
By William LobdellPublished: March 01, 2010
I felt a surge of panic when I noticed that a Meat House had opened just down the street from my neighborhood butcher, Celestino’s Meats in Costa Mesa.
The Meat House franchise has 17 stores in six states and decided to make its California beachhead on 17th Street in Eastside Costa Mesa, five blocks from Celestino’s.
If you’ve never been to the Meat House, it has a clean, sophisticated feel. In addition to meat (including alligator) and poultry, you can get marinades, wines, cheeses, fresh produce and baked goods.
How could my tiny Celestino’s – the David of butcher shops – compete against such a corporate Goliath?
The locally owned Celestino’s has been at its same cramped location for 45 years. It’s delightfully funky, with handmade signs, a maze of narrow aisles and goods stacked here and there.
The meat and poultry are of the highest quality, but it’s the customer service that keeps people coming back. Dennis Jochem, who’s worked at Celestino’s for 25 years, may be the friendliest person on Earth – unless you count the rest of the staff. Whether you’re looking for barbecue tips, the perfect slice of beef for a dinner party, or even ostrich meat, Celestino’s employees make you feel like they are blessed to serve you.
Jochem says it’s tough to tell what impact the Meat House will have on Celestino’s, especially because of the recession. But he seems admirably unworried.
“We just need to take care of our customers,” he says. “We give them service, quality and fair prices. We’re going to be OK.”
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The Meat House franchise has 17 stores in six states and decided to make its California beachhead on 17th Street in Eastside Costa Mesa, five blocks from Celestino’s. If you’ve never been to the Meat House, it has a clean, sophisticated feel. In addition to meat (including alligator) and poultry, you can get marinades, wines, cheeses, fresh produce and baked goods. How could my tiny Celestino’s – the David of butcher shops – compete against such a corporate Goliath? The locally owned Celestino’s has been at its same cramped location for 45 years. It’s delightfully funky, with handmade signs, a maze of narrow aisles and goods stacked here and there. The meat and poultry are of the highest quality, but it’s the customer service that keeps people coming back. Dennis Jochem, who’s worked at Celestino’s for 25 years, may be the friendliest person on Earth – unless you count the rest of the staff. Whether you’re looking for barbecue tips, the perfect slice of beef for a dinner party, or even ostrich meat, Celestino’s employees make you feel like they are blessed to serve you. Jochem says it’s tough to tell what impact the Meat House will have on Celestino’s, especially because of the recession. But he seems admirably unworried. “We just need to take care of our customers,” he says. “We give them service, quality and fair prices. We’re going to be OK.” NEXT PAGE >>> |
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