Saw a stat that 40% of new butcher shops fold inside 2 years and it matched what I saw on the east side

Gavin Hall · 2026-11-04T02:50:04.592117+00:00

I was killing time at the library last Tuesday and grabbed an old trade magazine, and there was this piece saying almost 40% of new butcher shops close inside their first two years. That number hit me because I watched three shops open on the east side of town over about 18 months, and only one is still running. The one that made it does a lot of custom cutting and takes phone orders, while the two that folded went heavy on fancy display cases and markup. I think the stat is less about the meat and more about people not pricing their labor right from day one. A friend of mine who runs a shop up in Lansing says the first year is mostly about learning what your regulars actually buy. Anyway, I'm curious if that 40% lines up with what other folks have seen in their own towns.

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Saw a stat that 40% of new butcher shops fold inside 2 years and it matched what I saw on the east side | Butchers - Guest Forum