Lifelong Memphians, brothers Morgan and Josh Hammond grew up in a retail-oriented family. Their grandfather, Buster, landed in the liquor business through a stroke of luck. In 1954, Buster and his partner, Tom Kirk, decided to dissolve their partnership in Hamkirk’s Grocery Store on Bellevue Avenue. They set a price for the business, flipped a coin and Buster lost. He left the grocery and opened Buster’s Liquors next door, operating there until 1968, during the height of the STAX era. When Buster’s son Rommy took over the business, he moved the liquor store to its current location at Dillard Square Shopping Center. Under Rommy’s management, the store became a beloved establishment and grew from 1600 square feet to 16,000 square feet. Since then, Buster’s grandsons Morgan and Josh have incorporated their own ideas into the family business.
For years, Morgan and Josh had been ruminating on expanding their business to include food items. They felt that a specialty food store would complement the liquor store nicely. Morgan says they “were looking to open something that would appeal to epicurean and food-oriented shoppers.” A retail space became available a few doors down, and the center’s management group thought the Hammonds’ butcher shop idea would make the perfect addition. Once this opportunity arose, things began to move quickly.
Josh spoke with a few other peers in the business, leading to the decision that it was time to give it a shot. Josh quips, “We jumped in with both feet!” Looking back on it, Josh laughs that he and Morgan did not follow a traditional business plan. He admits the smartest decision was to hire Brad McCarley as the head butcher and manager. Brad, also raised in Memphis, has an impressive resume with experience at Porcellino's Craft Butcher and Salt and Soy restaurants. He also founded the Butcher program at Curb Market in Crosstown Concourse, later opening City Block Salumeria, a wholesale operation selling mostly to restaurants. Finally, he opened a small retail outlet in Puck Food Hall, which operated until Covid.
Brad brings a wealth of restaurant experience and a grand vision of what Buster’s Butcher could provide for Memphis and the neighborhood. Morgan, Josh and Brad wanted to create their own brand and style. During the store’s renovation, they worked on their food plan, deciding what type and how many meats to sell. They also traveled to nearby cities to visit stores with a similar vision. Brad felt it important to source their meats locally as much as possible. Most of their meats are purchased from Homeplace Pastures from Como, Mississippi, and Creekstone Farms out of Kansas. Their menu expanded to include house-made sausages from Brad’s personal recipes, cheeses, prepared sides and sandwiches. All are made in the store.
Buster’s Butcher attempts to attract all levels of food lovers, from the hard-core gourmand to the beginner dinner party host. The staff includes experienced butchers and chefs, who can provide expert advice on the differences in cuts of meat that work within the customer’s budget. Josh says, “Most people come into Buster's Butcher and then make a plan for their meal once they see what’s in the shop.” It’s a place where people can hang out and chat about food while they shop. Brad says, “We’ve curated a vibe in the shop. It’s an experience that hits the senses – from the decor in the shop to the smell of what’s cooking. The music is good in there. I’ve always said that the music in a restaurant (or store, in this case) drives the circus. It makes you feel a certain energy.”
The shop includes a variety of dry goods, some unusual international products and some familiar, basic staples. Brad buys products that he would want in his home or restaurant kitchen. The tricky part is finding some of these products in retail sizes. He likes having a rare anchovy paste next to the Duke’s mayonnaise on the shelf.
Buster’s Butcher boasts of a true farm-to-table experience, providing fresh and high-quality products. They carry an array of cuts of beef and receive whole hogs that their butchers cut every Thursday. They dry-age their meats in the shop, and they also produce a house-made charcuterie program. The staff provides services such as trimming, vacuum-sealing and freezing meat to make it easy to travel with food. And of course, if they don’t stock exactly what you’re looking for, the butchers can special order anything you need. Brad likes to joke that he “can get you anything you need, even camel. But seriously, I can get you camel meat!”
Buster’s Butcher is a shop for all types, but especially foodies. They brag it’s a place where men like to shop, too. On some weekends, you might find Brad out front, grilling house-made sausages in what he calls a “Best Wurst Pop-up.” Or you might find him cooking smash burgers or tacos to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. No matter the day of the week, you’ll always find their experienced staff ready to help you find exactly what you need.
We’ve curated a vibe in the shop. It’s an experience that hits the senses – from the decor in the shop to the smell of what’s cooking. The music is good in there. I’ve always said that the music in a restaurant (or store, in this case) drives the circus. It makes you feel a certain energy.
Most people come into Buster's Butcher and then make a plan for their meal once they see what’s in the shop.