The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a shattering blow to the world’s economy, and there were few industries affected as heavily as food service. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Birmingham restaurant industry to a screeching halt, The Son of a Butcher founder Addam Evans found himself in quite an unusual situation. Another company of his, Evans Meats, faced the same problem many other wholesale distributors did.

“By the middle of March, our sales had dropped seventy percent  from the average week, most restaurants had closed or were scrambling to enhance their curbside service.” – The Son of a Butcher

The Evans Meats warehouse full of fresh meats and seafood seemed to be a ticking time bomb in the wake of the COVID panic. However, Evans Meats’ talented and passion-driven team designed a new customer focus that shifted towards selling to individual consumers rather than the wholesale distribution of fine meats and specialty products. Born from this new focus was The Son of a Butcher, now located in Pepper Place—Birmingham’s cultural hub for locally-owned businesses. 

“It was a total hit, and we quickly discovered that people wanted the same products that the area’s top restaurants were using.” – The Son of a Butcher

The company’s business model is heavily focused on the importance of relationships. The Son of a Butcher doesn’t just stop at offering the finest meat products in Birmingham, however. Some of the most excellent cheeses in the city can be found at the store, curated and cared for closely by an expert team of cheesemongers. A cheesemonger, by definition, is a merchant who specializes in cheese—but the definition almost seems a bit too broad given the meticulous nature of their work. 

Their Monthly Cheese Club offering is a prime example of the cheesemongers’ extensive knowledge being put to use and as a charcuterie enthusiast myself, I can testify. These “masters of cheese” make no mistakes in their field of work, as you’ll learn quickly after opening their iconic white cheese paper.  Another personal favorite offering of mine is their curated Saturday sandwich collection. Although only available on Saturdays, a great The Son of a Butcher sandwich will always elevate a weekend afternoon. 

The story of the company’s resilience and adaptation to hard times is perfectly in line with the key tenets of the Birmingham spirit. When life gives you beef, cook a steak.