Duane and Shaula Garton opened Carnivores meat shop in Lampman, seeing a need for a business that can provide high-quality sausage and other fine meat cuts.
But the support they have received in the past few weeks since their opening day Oct. 23 has surpassed their lofty expectations.
“Everybody has been coming in and we’ve been busy, so it’s been great,” Shaula said.
Carnivores serves various types of sausages, as well as fresh steaks, smoked chicken legs, burgers and other types of meats.
Summer sausage and smoked sausage have proven to be the most popular items on their menu thus far.
“We can’t seem to keep them stocked,” said Shaula. “We’re always making more. Obviously people are enjoying it, so that’s a good thing.”
Cuts of sausage aren’t the only items that they have had trouble keeping in stock. The demand has been so great that they had to close early on Nov. 7 because they ran out of products.
“It was much busier than we ever anticipated. We never thought we would go through that much in our first week,” said Shaula.
And while it was tough to tell their customers they had run out of food, they take it as a vote of confidence from the people in the Lampman area that the business is serving quality products.
“We didn’t know if this would work here. It’s a small town, and we didn’t know how much people would come in, but everybody in town has been wonderful. Everybody has been shopping here and we’re selling way more meat than we ever thought we would,” said Shaula.
The business also has a lunch special a couple of times a week, and now they have started serving cheesecakes for those who might be looking for something to go with their sausage.
Cabbage rolls and home-cooked soups are also on the menu.
Shaula said she and Duane have always loved cutting and serving quality meats. They did it at home for friends and family, and with Duane no longer working in the oilfield, this provided the chance to do something different.
“That way we could work together, which we love doing,” said Shaula.
They’re also avid hunters who have processed their own sausage meat.
Shaula said they could see the need for a business such as Carnivores, especially in Lampman, because they’re going to serve the high-quality, home-cooked meats made in store.
People from out of town have taken notice, too.
“They’re travelling in to check us out, which surprises us, but it’s good. Word is spreading fast.”
It’s been a rewarding experience to be entrepreneurs. It’s been exciting to see the response from the public, and they get to do something that they love.
“This wouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t our friends and family who helped us so much to get started,” said Shaula.
