by: Courtney M. of The Great Greenvillage
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In summer 2018, Jeremy Webb launched Revival Butchery, Greenville’s newest gourmet meat shop. He sold his pickup truck to buy a refrigerated meat case, and now, five days a week, Jeremy sells his culinary creations from a storefront in The Village of West Greenville that he shares with Naked Pasta as well as a few food truck vendors and caterers. It’s hard to believe that Revival began in Jeremy’s home kitchen after he purchased a hand-crank meat grinder and began experimenting with sausages which he sold exclusively to friends and family.
Since those days, Jeremy’s operation has expanded, but his love of cooking and flare for flavorful innovation have remained the same. He’s living his dream of expressing his creativity by putting his own “twist” on existing recipes and continuing age-old traditions through traditional spice blends that have been handed down for generations.
Jeremy was born and raised in Greenville, but his parents’ careers at Michelin allowed the family to live in France for a period; during this time, Jeremy began to recognize the “intrigue of food.” His parents always encouraged his love of cooking, and Jeremy remembers drawing up menus and making “meals” for his family members and family friends at the early age of nine years old.
At 17, Jeremy got a job working at a meat counter and found himself apprenticing under two incredibly skilled, patient, and intelligent butchers. To this day, he’s still grateful for the way these mentors “took him under their wings.” Jeremy’s bosses were the ideal tag team; both lifelong butchers, one taught Jeremy knife skills and finesse while the other educated him on the technical side of running a business. Together, the pair gave Jeremy a wealth of knowledge and a slew of old-world recipes that had been passed down for generations.
While both of Jeremy’s mentors have passed away, their influence on his life trajectory still lives. He credits them with inspiring him to revive the tradesmanship aspect of running a butcher shop, and he works hard to ensure his customers have a personal experience similar to what is available at authentic, European butcheries. He aims to build relationships with his clients and to do things the old-fashioned way as often as possible. Jeremy even learned seam butchery techniques from a local farmer doing things in the same style that his father and grandfather did.
That’s right, Jeremy Webb can single-handedly take a hog from the farm to the dinner plate. Unfortunately, doing all that work and running a specialty butcher shop is too big a job for one man, so Jeremy works directly with local farmers and slaughterhouses to source the majority of his meats. Deliveries to his kitchen range from whole-animals to primal or sub-primal cuts, and while Jeremy does occasionally contact reputable suppliers for bulk orders and hard to find cuts, when it comes to ingredients, quality is key. Additionally, Jeremy always tries to meet his customers’ specific needs whether they include free-range, organic, or special ordered items.
What’s Revival Butchery’s bestseller? It’s a difficult question to answer, since Jeremy himself admits, “I get surprised sometimes.” Some of the shop’s most unconventional sausage recipes like the “Thai Fried Garlic, “ “Leeks & Gruyere,” and “Sage & Apple Chicken” become unexpected hits. Still, the meat case’s staples are Jeremy’s “Fresh Ground Steak Burger,” “Old World Bratwurst,” “Old World Kielbasa,” “Old World Italian” sausage, and “Farmhouse” sausage.
All the Old World options are derived from genuine family recipes that have been passed down to Jeremy, but he maintains his commitment to authentic flavors through his more experimental meats as well. For example, he makes a point of purchasing all the ingredients for the “Thai Fried Garlic” sausage from a local Asian market, and all the ingredients going into Revival’s “Chorizo” come from a local Spanish market. Such dedication to taste can be draining, but Jeremy explains, “I want everything I make to be a home run. If something doesn’t know it out of the park, I don’t want to carry it.” The result, his products are delicious, and people are starting to take notice.
However, starting a small business is never easy, and Revival Butchery has faced its fair share of difficulties. For one thing, starting a company from scratch is financially petrifying. Jeremy will be the first to say, “It’s a big gamble, and it can be hard to stay optimistic.” Beyond the monetary risks of running a local butchery, partnering with local farmers can present its own set of natural dangers, as predators and diseases are liable to kill off valuable animals being raised for special orders or standard inventory items.
Regardless of the challenges before him, this budding entrepreneur has purposed to stay true to his vision. He’s got his sights set on his goals and has a firm grasp on the principles around which he wants Revival Butchery to revolve. He hopes to know each of his customers personally and to greet them by their first names. He hopes to become a valuable asset within his community and is already donating his excess inventory to a little-known rescue mission called Divinity Men’s shelter. He’s also participated in local markets and pop-up shops at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery.
Great news: if you’ve missed out on past opportunities to get your hands on Jeremy’s gourmet products, you can visit one of his upcoming pop-up shops at similar venues like Community Tap and Birds Fly South. Of course, you’re welcome to stop by Tuesday through Saturday during normal business hours to grab some meat from the shop’s case; specials rotate frequently, but customers are encouraged to place special orders online, in-person, or over the phone.
Revival’s specialty sausages, seasoned meats, and prime cuts are affordable, satisfying, and made with a commitment to quality. Get yours today to support local small businesses, and follow Revival on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to find out about its newest creations. There’s truly something for everyone, and Jeremy will definitely be thankful for your contribution to his dreams.
*This piece is dedicated to Jeremy’s wife, children, brothers, father, and friends. Thank you for all your support and behind the scenes efforts. You’ve been a part of something truly special.
