Ricky Moor is all set to reopen the butcher's shop – which has been empty since early 2015 – at Bitterne Park Triangle this week.
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The shop, previously known as Garson's (new signage is on the cards), is due to open on Wednesday (Feb 15).
Ricky, originally from south London, has lived locally for a few years – and now just up the road from the Triangle. He says he's done a few different things in his time, from serving in the army to teaching.
But he's a butcher by trade, and launched The Fat Butcher on Butts Road in Sholing.
That didn't work out with the chain which owned it, and when he passed the Triangle shop that used to be Garson's one day and saw it was empty, he says he "asked the question, just to stick my nose in really!"
Now the shop's looking spic and span and ready for business once again.
"My motivation for it is, a lot of people have been asking for the traditional things around here, and a traditional butcher's has been missing for a few years, I understand."
Confident
Ricky's even confident that he can compete with some supermarkets on price, although he acknowledges undercutting some lines at others may be harder.
But he says he's keen to offer a service for the whole community, from older people who may only want two slices of bacon and a couple of sausages for breakfast, to younger people looking for a ready meal complete with cooking instructions.
Will he stock organic meat?
"I'm looking at local suppliers. I have to start off slow, on a very very low budget. I'll start off with the fundamentals that you'd expect in a butcher's... as for organic stuff, if people are requesting it then I've no problem buying it in, when I have a supplier
"I'm very much that sort of person that if somebody comes past and tells me a bit about themselves I will remember, and I'll cater for those individuals in the future."
Ricky, who's done all the work on the shop with his wife Kim over the last few weeks, says he's lucky that much of the equipment was already in the shop, and he's received support from Graham Cotton, who owns the premises, and of course the baker's shop next door.
Moor's Family Butchers, Bitterne Park Triangle.
Opening [updated 17/2/17]: Tuesday to Friday 9-5pm; Saturday 9-6pm
https://www.facebook.com/MoorsButchers/
