Meat master moves business

AFTER about thirty years working in Ballarat, a seasoned server of cut meats has moved his trade to Buninyong.

After managing his My Butcher stores throughout the region, Barry Flower opened Buninyong Butcher late last month.

He said it’s offering a more intimate approach than his previous ventures.

“We’ve gone from two massive shops down to a smaller, customer-friendly setup,” he said.

“I want to enjoy my butchering here rather than just non-stop push, push, push.

“We went from 20-odd people 20 years ago to half a dozen in Curtis Street and I might have a couple part-timers here.”

Mr Flower spent 20 years at his Sturt Street My Butcher branch and his Stockland superstore before relocating to Curtis Street for nine years.

He said his decision to downsize was partly informed by a “dwindling” of the butcher trade and dedicated businesses.

“We’re a dying breed,” he said. “For the last 10, 15 years, staff, especially butchers, you just can’t get them.

“Most little retailers have been knocked on the head by the larger supermarkets. In doing that, there’s no staff so there’s no proper butchers being trained properly.

“That’s been going on for a long time. In the Ballarat CBD, my Curtis Street shop was the only one there whereas 30 years ago there was about 15, 20 shops in that area.”

Buninyong Butcher was previously the site of Greenvale Quality Meats which closed in 2022 after three years in operation.

Mr Flower said his shop has been embraced by the local community.

“I think they’ve really missed the little butcher here. There was one here from John Whykes for many years which I know has been missed,” he said.

“Buninyong people, I think, are a bit old-school. They like to shop in butcher shops so it’s been surprisingly good here.”