The historic Fernie Meat Market is on the market, with long-time owner and operator Mark Brown saying he’d like to call it a day.
“I decided to take a break,” said Mark, has been operating the Meat Market for the last 20-or-so years. Mark said that as he was getting older, he wanted to have more time to enjoy relaxing.
Mark is the third generation of the Brown family to own and operate the Fernie Meat Market, and while he doesn’t have a younger generation to pass the business on to, he said he hoped whoever bought the business would keep it going.
He’ll be walking away from long 12-14-hour days at work, but Mark said he would miss the people he sees every day at work because he’d gotten to know so many locals and visitors in Fernie over the years.
“I’m a people person, I get to know people over time. Some people I’ve known for 35-40 years, I’ve touched base with them ever since an early age, they’ve see me grow up, and they’ve changed too.
“I’ve had a gentlemen in here from Moose Jaw I’ve known for 30 years. We keep in touch all the time.”
The Fernie Meat Market has been in the Brown family, and at the same location on 5th Street in Fernie for the past 94 years (95 years come September 2021).
Mark’s Grandfather opened the Meat Market in 1926, while his father and uncle took over in 1960.
“My dad was eight years old when he started here,” said Mark.
Mark has built up a lot of knowledge and expertise about the business over the years, with the Meat Market’s famous jerky being the most popular item for sale. Mark ages all the meat, and spends long hours making jerky, sausage and all the other tasty items on the menu.
He might be planning to sell up and walk away from the business, but as a life-long Fernie local, he’s not going anywhere - expect to see him around town long after the Meat Market has sold.
“I’m not hard to find.”
scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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