Saturday, March 11th will be your last chance to visit Acme Meat Market in their location of over 30 years (9531 76 ave) before they move across the street into the brand spanking new Ritchie Market.
Acme has to be one of Edmonton’s longest running businesses, opening the doors for the first time in 1921, in the old Dominion Hotel on Whyte avenue at 103st. After a stint in another location nearby, Acme finally moved to their current location on 76 ave in 1986. The old-school vibe inside Acme has added vintage charm to go with the quality custom cuts of meat and customer-orientated service that has made them a beloved Edmonton institution.
That old-school charm is certainly noticeable in the form of their equipment, which is literally museum-worthy. The Royal Alberta Museum staked a claim on Acme’s original refrigerated display case, still in use until Saturday, as it’s the first such unit in Alberta. It’s as old as the business itself, an original from the 20’s, and owner Corey Meyer says the workhorse unit owes him nothing and can enjoy its retirement at RAM. Meyer says the move was the right time to put it out to pasture, and he’s excited to break-in a slightly newer unit in the new location. Progress moves slowly in the butchery world.
Acme is bestowing their old 1940’s horizontal sausage stuffer – a relative spring chicken in comparison to the display case – on the museum as well. It will be replaced by a vertical model which will make more efficient use of their space.
Meyer comes by his butchery talents honestly, his grandfather and father both being butchers, and his dad owning and operating Meyer’s Meats on Whyte avenue for many years. Corey completed the butchery program at NAIT , and began work at Acme Meats in 1996. Eventually he, along with his wife Amanda, bought the place and took ownership in 2008. He says he’ll most likely be sentimental about it. “It was the first place I plied my trade, and I’ll probably park in the back of the old shop out of habit a few times.”
The hard work begins after closing that final time on Saturday when the task of packing up the heavy equipment and tools of the trade becomes a reality. Getting the new shop up and running will take a couple weeks, but the whole staff is looking forward to getting settled in the new digs. The new space is only about 100 sq. ft. bigger than the current location, but Meyer says getting to design the new space with a focus on efficiency will make life easier. Meyer jokes that having a caffeine fix from Transcend Coffee right across the hall will be a definite bonus for the butcher’s notorious early mornings, and the upcoming opening of Blind Enthusiasm Brewing will play host to the occasional post-work pint.
The new Acme Meat Market is slated to open the week of March 21st at 9570 76 ave.
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New Acme Meat Market Location- 9570 76 avenue, Edmonton