An old-fashioned butcher shop with a contemporary flair will soon open in Altoona. Bob Adrian, a commodity trader with a love for making sausage, is busy creating Rump’s Butcher Shoppe in a newly renovated building, 1411 Lynn Ave., in downtown Altoona. The store, which is slated to open in July, will feature a full range of locally raised meats, homemade sausages, sandwiches to go, as well as beer, wine, cheese, desserts, and some grocery essentials. When the store opens, Dan Horlacher, a butcher with nearly two decades of local experience, will be at the helm and behind the counter. The exterior of the building has been largely completed, and now workers are busy remodeling the interior – which will feature what Adrian calls an “older, industrial vibe” as well as repurposed barn boards.

Rump’s is inspired by the mom-and-pop butcher shops that still dot rural Wisconsin. “What if you took that butcher shop mentality into a truly retail setting?” Adrian wondered. Customers will be able to have their meat cut to order, he says. Products like sausage, bacon, and ham will be locally raised and prepared in-house, while some others meats – particularly deli meats – will be from elsewhere.

In the beginning, the beef will be locally raised and hormone-free, although not necessarily certified organic, Adrian says. However, that option may be available through special orders. “A lot of it’s going to depend on our target group of customers,” he says.

Adrian’s interest in handcrafted meat dates to his youth, when he began making sausage with his stepfather, John Romportl. In fact, his stepfather’s nickname – Rump – inspired the name of the new business.

Adrian says the Great Recession inspired many Americans to consider buying products raised, grown, and made closer to home – an ongoing trend he hopes boosts his new business. “If there’s ever a time it’s going to work, it’s now,” he says.

To learn more, visit RumpsButcherShoppe.com or search for Rump’s Butcher Shoppe on Facebook.