A New Butcher on the Block
The long-awaited Southern Cuts Butcher Shop could open this week inside The Mews building, at 280 NW Broad St. How did this butcher shop end up with a spot in The Mews? Chalk it up to a case of mistaken identity. OK, actually, it was a case of meat.
Let’s back up. Ray Herring wasn’t always in the meat business. He owns Southern Way Catering, which included a restaurant until COVID forced a pivot. When meat shortages persisted, people began asking him for beef, which led to a meat counter and eventually to a brick-and-mortar butcher shop in Laurinburg. Many of his customers were coming from Moore County. Ray knew there wasn’t a butcher shop in Southern Pines and thought if he “could be the first one here, then it’d be worth it.”
Earlier this year, an expensive shipment of meat was never delivered to him, even though the tracking number said it was. Next thing he knew, he was receiving calls from Chris Abbey, owner of Southern Whey (the cheese shop in downtown Southern Pines) who, you guessed it, got delivered a shipment of meat. Call it a rare coincidence.
When Ray went to pick it up, Chris mentioned Patricia was moving out of The Mews (to 241 NE Broad St.) and Ray went to look at the soon-to-be vacant space that same day. “I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason,” says Ray, “I don’t think I would be in this spot if someone hadn’t screwed up that truck order.”
Back to the meat of the story. Southern Cuts Butcher Shop will sell many cuts of meat including short ribs, brisket, tomahawks, ribeyes, ground beef and more priced by pound. You’ll also be able to find a limited seafood selection as well as poultry and pork without added hormones or antibiotics, plus deli cuts and sausages. Ray says people can make requests for specific cuts, too, as he’s learning what Moore County wants. “We try to stay as local as we can, even with the seasonings we sell,” says Ray.
Ray has closed the Laurinburg location and is eager to be in the new market. Watch Facebook for news on the opening of the Southern Pines shop.
