Posted: 11/20/07
Change in ownership brings
little change at Mikeís meats
By Tom Hammell
Special to the Caledonia Argus
Mikeís Meats in Eitzen hasnít changed much in years, and thatís probably a good thing.
The store still has the same low counter up front and the same deli case with the storeís products up front.
Don Robley took over the business in June and aside from a new coat of paint and a few other changes, things are pretty much the same, including the help.
"He retained very good help," former owner Mike Hartley said. "I had a lot of good help there and they seem to be doing a real good job."
Mikeís Meats processes animals from start to finish, and is the only shop in Houston County that does that and Robley intends to keep the processes the same.
"What itís actually licensed for is a custom processing place," he said. The shop often takes animals that farmers sell and cuts them into whatever the customer wants. The business also processes venison trim for hunters. He said itís hard to know how many deer the facility processes because of the way the animals come to them.
Dave Ehlers has worked at Mikeís Meats, which was formerly called the Eitzen Locker for almost 24 years, and said the way the business operates hasnít changed much. He said he does just about everything that needs doing there.
"I do it all," he said. As he talks, he runs a pig carcass through a bandsaw, without missing a beat.
Robley took the business over from Mike Hartley, who owned it since 1990.
Hartley decided it was time to retire and put the store on the market.
"Everyone told me it would take three to five years to sell it," he said, but that wasnít the case.
"I put it up for sale in January and in February the guy said he was going to buy it."
Robley said he cut meat while he was in college, but since has only done processing for himself.
"Iíve spent most of my life in the real-estate business," he said. He has been semi-retired for years but wanted to do something to keep himself occupied.
Originally he intended to launch a sausage kitchen in Caledonia at the site of the old creamery
"The plan was to do the Caledonia project," he said, when the business came up for sale.
He still plans to open a state or federally licensed sausage kitchen, depending on what option he chooses, at the site of a former creamery in Caledonia.
Hartley said Robley took over a business that is doing well.
"Heís a real good guy to do business with," he said.
Caledonia Argus
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