Dom’s Butcher Block

Dom’s Butcher Block

While it has been a challenge to find a decent selection of meat at many chain supermarkets across the region due to panic shopping, one local small business continues to offer its community a full inventory of fresh cuts and other food products daily.

Dom’s Butcher Block, established in 2010, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. And while it may have taken some time to build momentum when they first opened their doors, the family-owned and operated business now finds itself a staple in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with its loyal customer base, the shop is seeing new faces entering the store and new voices on the other end of the phone, as more and more people are realizing the benefits of having an independently owned butcher shop in town, and the importance of supporting small business.

“Over the years, we have established relationships on a personal level with the Ellicottville community and in most cases, more so on a business level,” said Ken Auteri, who co-owns Dom’s Butcher Block with his wife and son, Annette and Tyler. “So while we have seen an up-tick in the volume of our bundle pack orders and have hopefully gained some new customers, it pains us to see the town that should be so full of life, so empty.”

Those bundle packs Auteri is referring to have helped the family business stay open the past month and a half, whereas most of the downtown business district has closed down. With savings on meat bundles, it’s an affordable way to ensure your freezer is full of a variety of quality meats, including chicken, pork chops, country style ribs, sausage, ground chuck, top round roast, and strip steaks. Choose from 10 lb. packs and up, beginning at $55, with all packs customizable. 

“We are a full retail meat market,” Ken said. “We offer a variety of cuts from beef, pork and chicken, along with our homemade smoked meats.  And every Friday we carry fresh salmon and fresh baked goods from a local scratch bakery. We also carry our own line of olive oils and vinegars, as well as a variety of locally sourced products from honey to syrup to pasta to salads to our friends at Osteria 166’s marinara sauce.”

Having partnered with all of these different vendors and offering their products in one location not only provides customers of Dom’s Butcher Block a one-stop shop for dinner, but also gives customers the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting a plethora of independently owned businesses each time they visit the shop.

To ensure the safety of their customers during this time, the Auteris have instilled a 4-person limit inside the store and ask people to be mindful of other customers by maintaining their distance while shopping. 

“Anyone who has shopped in our store can tell you that it has and always will be one of the cleanest establishments in business. And with it being an open air market, it should maintain that level of cleanliness with or without a pandemic,” said Ken. “We are taking additional measures by sanitizing door handles and surfaces frequently throughout the day; we’re going through a lot of bleach! Plus we offer hand sanitizer at the counter and encourage every customer that walks in our door to use it.”

It has never been more important to show your support for small business than during this time of economic uncertainty. And in a tight-knit community such as Ellicottville, that support remains a strong thread. 

From Ken, Annette and Tyler Auteri: “To all our customers, from new and old, on behalf of our family, we want to thank each and every one of you for almost ten years of love and support. We will continue to serve you for as long as we can, and we hope to see all of your smiling faces filling our town once again when this is all over.”

Dom’s Butcher Block is located in the Washington Square on Ellicottville’s main drag, behind Katy’s Cafe. They are open 7 days a week and offer curbside delivery for those who do not wish to enter the store. Find their meat bundle pack menu and other offers on their Facebook page, or call 716-699-MEAT with questions and custom orders.