Beloved Tallgrass Meat Co. to close March 3

Kerri Bartlett, The Daily Herald
·3 min read
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Casey Weber, right, hands his son Jack chicken breast to be stocked on the shelves at Tallgrass Meat Co. in Columbia, Tenn. on Monday July 18, 2022.
Casey Weber, right, hands his son Jack chicken breast to be stocked on the shelves at Tallgrass Meat Co. in Columbia, Tenn. on Monday July 18, 2022.

Tallgrass Meat Company, a small business in Columbia featuring meats and products from Tennessee Farms, will unexpectedly close its doors for good on March 3, after operating for five years, despite rising in popularity and recognition along the way.

Owner Casey Weber, who has lead the charge in bringing locally raised and lightly processed meats to customers' hands at its brick and mortar store on Garden Street, said he realizes that many patrons and friends are surprised about the announcement.

The popular meat store's closure comes on the heels of being named Small Business Startup of the Year in 2020 by the state Small Business Administration, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center.

More:Tallgrass Meat Co. in Columbia wins Small Business Startup of the Year Award

To many, Tallgrass Meat Company became a model of how a small business can not only survive but thrive during COVID-19. Despite economic hardships the country experienced, Tallgrass seemed to be a beacon of light in downtown Columbia, nestled as one of the first stores anchoring a new wave of small businesses in the renovated shopping complex, New South Marketplace on Garden Street. Lime & Loaf, Needle & Grain, Grinder's Switch Winery, and Little Juice Co. also inhabit the shopping center.

Owner Casey Weber, his wife Savannah and their two children Jack and Eva stand beside the fresh meat counter at Tallgrass Meat Co. in Columbia, Tenn. on Monday July 18, 2022.
Owner Casey Weber, his wife Savannah and their two children Jack and Eva stand beside the fresh meat counter at Tallgrass Meat Co. in Columbia, Tenn. on Monday July 18, 2022.

This week, customers are flocking to the store to stock up on what's left of the local meat offerings from lamb chops to ground beef, cuts of chicken and house-cured bacon by closing day, March 3. A line of loyal customers filed out the door, spilling onto the sidewalk, following the announcement earlier this month.

On Feb. 8, Kansas-native Weber, who grew up in a farming family, made the "shocking" announcement on the shop's Facebook page.

Weber explains in the post that being able to provide high-quality consistency to customers has been a struggle too great to overcome over the past few months for the growing business. Weber recently explained that he has been unable to employ enough workers to carry out the high workload. In addition, the business has absorbed much of his time, away from his growing family, of four children, a wife and newborn.

"In fact, finding the words have been difficult, especially with all the great things that we have been able to celebrate over the last few months ... ," Weber said.

"The recent weekends that we have taken off have only reinforced that Tallgrass cannot continue to exist as the custom butcher shop that it has been; while simultaneously providing consistency to my customers and income/time for our employees and my family."

Weber thanks the community and loyal customers for their support as well as his family.

"Thank you to my friends and family for their sacrifices both working and never seeing me, but still supporting me," he said. "Thank you to our customers, my regular customers, you not only kept the lights on, but encouraged me at a depth of genuineness that is hard for me to fathom to this day.

Casey Weber, owner of Tallgrass Meat Co., pulls out racks of freshly smoked meats to prepare them for packaging and display on July 18, 2022.
Casey Weber, owner of Tallgrass Meat Co., pulls out racks of freshly smoked meats to prepare them for packaging and display on July 18, 2022.

"I never imagined the successes, the relationships built, the depth of kindness, and graciousness in words of strangers and friends on difficult days, the volatility and survival, the solace of long hours, the pride and joy from preserving and most of all the appreciation of 'little things,' one could say the secret of life."

Tallgrass is not the only popular small business in Columbia to recently close. Vanh Dy Asian fusion restaurant and Wok-N-Grill, both family owned, shut its doors soon after Christmas despite community support due to decisions based on family.

Goods at Tallgrass are available while supplies last. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The shop is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Check back with the Herald for more on the story.

Kerri Bartlett is editor of The Daily Herald.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Beloved Tallgrass Meat Company in Columbia to close March 3