Here’s a switch: a local group taking over a franchise instead of the other way around.
The Meat House, the franchised butcherie on Orange Avenue in Winter Park, will become The Local Butcher and Market. It will be a second location for the business, which opened in May in Winter Garden.
The Local’s Jason VanBeukering, who owns the business with Kevin O’Donnell, had been an employee at the Winter Park shop when it started to have financial problems. The two decided to take it over and convert it to The Local. VanBeukering told me that he plans to make some design changes to the interior. “We’re working on the signage,” he said. We plan to take out a wall, put up some fresh paint — liven it up a bit and maybe put in some tables.”
He said he hopes the transition to take place in the next month, but acknowledged the holidays make the timing a bit of a problem. “It may be one of those third-shift deals,” he said, stating that the changes might be done overnight so that the shop will not have to close.
It shouldn’t go without noting that the Meat House, or The Local Butcher and Market, that is, is just around the corner from Swine & Sons Provisions. Although the latter does not deal in fresh prime cuts of meat as the former.
Update: O’Donnell, who also owns the Porch next door to the Meat House location, says that he plans to add an eight or 10 seat European style cafe indoors with another 12 seats outside. They’ll serve local sandwiches that feature in-house sausages and other meats, including the Local’s own brined and cured corned beef for Reuben sandwiches.
