By: Dana Mitchell, Communications & Outreach Intern
For over 100 years, Glebe Meat Market has supplied fine meat products and the timeless taste of a home-cooked meal.
The business first opened its doors in 1920 at 793 Bank Street. Originally owned and operated by the Faith brothers, the business was eventually sold to Harry Amada. André Sauvé, one of Amada’s part-time cutters, purchased the business in 1975 after selling his own butcher store in Orléans.
Glebe Meat Market is now run by André’s son Stephane, who started his career in the meat industry at the age of thirteen. The current owner recalls his early days building forts with delivery boxes and separating chicken organs. After moving properties a few years later, Sauvé helped his father renovate the interior of the store, making it into the quaint establishment that it is today.
Sauvé took over the business in the 1990s, and while he’s faced challenges due to the pandemic and an ever-changing market, he says it’s interacting with the customers that makes his job worthwhile.
“I love my customers,” says the business owner. “I like when they come in with questions or with a recipe I’ve never tried. The other thing is that I love cooking food, and a lot of my friends are chefs, so it’s always fun talking about that stuff.”
Over the years, the Glebe neighbourhood has grown up around the butcher shop, which continues to serve the community faithfully. As an independent, family-run business, it maintains a heritage feel while staying current with evolving consumer needs.
“We have a lot of regular customers and some families have been shopping here for generations,” says Sauvé. “But most of our customers come for the special stuff that they can’t find anywhere else, stuff that they can’t sell at larger supermarkets because it doesn’t move fast enough.”
Adorning the walls and shelves of the store are a variety of antique implements, some of which were used over a century ago when the business first opened. Other items were acquired by Sauvé and his father, who share a passion for antiques, including an old cash register that they exchanged for a side of beef. These details call back to an earlier time and make shopping at Glebe Meat Market a truly unique experience.
“We’ve always tried to keep the store old-fashioned,” says Sauvé. “All the pies are my grandmother’s recipes. We also sell cretons, sausage rolls, and scotch eggs for the British. We want to keep those old recipes alive.”
Traditional food preparation techniques and recipes allow the business to remain connected to its rich history. Sauvé says that he's still learning from his parents to ensure these culinary traditions persist into the future.
“My parents make the relishes at their farm, and we do all the canning there,” he says. “People get disappointed when they don’t have the old ketchup with our tourtière. That’s the tradition. You can use Heinz, but it’s not the same.”
In addition to their food products, Glebe Meat Market offers cooking advice and instructions to customers. Sauvé has a small but mighty team of five employees, some of whom have been working with him for over thirty years. The team brings their personal expertise to the shop and welcomes inquiries from seasoned cooks and culinary beginners alike.
“All my staff are full-time,” says the owner. “They all know how to cook and how to help the customer, so when people come here, they know they’ll get the answers they need.”
One of the business’s newest traditions is its haggis, which has become an acclaimed signature dish. Sauvé first developed the recipe twenty-five years ago after taking a customer’s request into his own hands. There followed a months-long effort to perfect the recipe, which included extensive research and taste testing. Eventually Sauvé’s labours paid off and the recipe quickly gained traction locally and internationally. In their best year, he says the business sold two tons of haggis, some of which was shipped as far away as the North Pole.
The wide reach of Glebe Meat Market speaks to the dedication of Sauvé and his team, who care about their clients and take the time to prepare high-quality products. In the words of one Scottish customer, their haggis “tastes like home.”
You can visit Glebe Meat Market at 869 Bank Street or check out their website to learn more.
