A local market serving the Rocky Hill community since 1990
Grocery Life September 4, 2014
Grocery Life September 4, 2014
By Tom Butler
Good afternoon from Butler and Bailey Market. I hope everyone is having a good week. After a busy Labor Day weekend, we are getting back to normal here at the store. Normalcy will not last long because the Vols have another home football game this Saturday.
The game this Saturday has a twelve noon start time. We don’t really like an early start time at the store for games. We would prefer a night game. When they start early we do a couple of hours of good business but when the game starts it will be like a ghost town in here for the next three to four hours. Once the game is over, business will pick back up if the Vols win. If they lose, business will not be so good after the game.
Restaurants are just the opposite. They don’t like night games, they like day games. They want to catch the crowds after the game is over so I would think the earlier the game ends the more restaurants like it.
All of us like it when football season starts. I don’t know the figures but all the business people I know see an increase in business during football season. If they keep on winning, the positive economic impact will continue throughout the season. So Go Vols!
We are in the middle of our two week ad now. My favorite thing in the ad would be the Cowboy Ribeye steak. This is a bone-in ribeye steak. The ribeye is flavorful to begin with but when it is cooked with the bone, I think it has even more flavor. Another one of my favorites are the chicken thighs and drumsticks. I always cook these on the grill at 200 to 250 degrees. Sometimes I marinate them, sometimes I don’t. Either way they always turn out good.
In the Deli/Bakery, we have red velvet cakes on sale. This is easily our most popular cake. I rarely eat cake, but everyone always tells me how good all of our cakes are so the red velvet must be especially good. Two other things people always comment about are Nancy’s chicken casserole and chicken pot pie. Both of these are made from scratch back in the deli. Our made from scratch quiches are also on sale this week. These might be a good idea for the tailgate this Saturday since the game has an early start time.
The South Carolina peaches have finally run out for the season. Our last load came and went last weekend. We have talked to another supplier about peaches, but they have failed to deliver any so I am not very optimistic. We did get in our first shipment this season of honey crisp apples. They just came in this morning. These are always our best selling apples when they are in season as well as being my favorite variety.
On a sad note, Raymond Duncan’s wife, Rikki, passed away unexpectedly Friday a week ago. Raymond has worked in our meat department for the last twenty years and before that he was at the Rocky Hill Market which was just up the street. He has been an important part of this community for over 50 years and is probably the most recognized face in Rocky Hill. I know Raymond and his family are going through a tough time right now and are very appreciative of the support they are receiving from their church family at Rocky Hill Baptist as well as the rest of the community. Over the last week hundreds of our customers have called or came in to offer their condolences and support. We are all certainly blessed to be a part of a community that takes care of its people in their time of need!
We are looking forward to when Raymond is ready to come back to work and I know you will be glad to see his familiar face behind the meat counter every afternoon.
Thanks for letting us be a part of your community,
Tom Butler
Respond to:tom.butler44@gmail.com
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Butler and Bailey Market
7513 Northshore Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37919
So sorry to hear about Raymond’s wife Rikki. Steve and I had not heard. Our sympathy to Raymond and his family; I know he loved her very much and that she was a special person. Thoughts and prayers to the Duncan family who have been valued members of the Rocky Hill community for a long time.
Steve and Jenny Adcock