Grand Meadow Locker Prepares to Open Retail Store

Nick and Rachel Berken, owners of Grand Meadow Locker, are putting the finishing touches on a major remodeling project that will expand the longtime Main Street meat locker into a retail destination for the community.

The business, located at 124 Main St. S. in Grand Meadow, has been owned by the Berkens for six years. Since purchasing the building, the couple said they have updated it a little at a time, with the most recent work including new flooring, window coverings and a retail store that is still awaiting final approval. Rachel pointed out that they also added space for an office and redid the front exterior.

“We’ve done a lot of remodeling,” Rachel said, explaining that the building had started to look dated. The building was built in 1934 and has always been a meat locker.

Grand Meadow Locker offers custom processing and meat cutting for beef, hogs and boneless venison. Nick said the market typically processes four to five beef and four to five hogs each week. Their business is 50% beef and 50% pork.

Customers bring animals from nearby communities including Adams, Rose Creek and Grand Meadow, as well as from farther away places such as Pine Island, Albert Lea, and Cresco, Iowa.

James S. from Albert Lea, Minnesota posted a review, “Good people, good products, willing to accommodate your needs. They’re by appointment only, but they show up quickly and I’ve never had them say they weren’t available. Prices are great.”

“A lot of people just like the way we do it,” Rachel said.

Nick said processing costs can vary depending on how farmers price their animals. Some use live weight, while others use hanging weight. The price goes off the market and the price for beef started to drop the first of September.

Grand Meadow Locker charges 98 cents per pound based on hanging weight, which is the weight of the animal after it has been dressed and is ready to be cut.

Beef is aged for 12 to 14 days, while hogs are usually aged about seven days. Nick said the aging process helps break down enzymes in the meat, making it more tender.

The business is inspected quarterly by the state. Nick said inspectors review paperwork and check carcasses to make sure everything is clean and being handled properly.

The Berkens are also preparing to open a retail store; a project Rachel said was encouraged by community interest. The store is expected to offer items such as jerky sticks, summer sausage, hot dogs, ring bologna, bacon, steaks, chops, roasts and some chicken products.

“That’s the plan,” Rachel said. “We’re trying to get the retail license, so we can do that for the community.”

The store opening timeline depends on equipment delivery and final state approval. The Berkens said they have been working on the project for more than two years and are close to completion.

“We’re really, really close,” Rachel said. “We just are waiting on a few machines, and then the state can come down and say yes or no.”

Nick said he learned the meat processing trade through hands-on experience rather than formal schooling. Before owning Grand Meadow Locker, he worked at other lockers, including Ody’s Country Meats, and also worked nights at the Grand Meadow location under the previous owner.

Nick said he had not planned to own a business. After leaving his job installing DirecTV so he could spend more home with his family, he became interested in meat processing and continued learning through hands-on experience and research. “At the beginning it was just interesting,” he said. “I switched jobs and started doing this, and I got more into it and started learning different things and doing research. It just became interesting to me.”

Rachel also learned on the job. She helps with cutting the bones, wrapping and does the bookkeeping.

The business currently employs one worker, Malachi. Nick said the operation became especially busy during the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for local processing increased.

Grand Meadow Locker is open by appointment only for all drop-offs and pickups. Appointments can be made by calling Nick at 507-421-2862. The business can also be reached at Grandmeadowlocker@gmail.com.

Customers can follow Nick and Rachel on Facebook for updates on the retail store’s opening.