By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Mar 16, 2020 at 9:01 AM

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Becher Meats, located at 2079 S. 69th St., officially opens its doors to the public on Monday, March 16 at 10 a.m. after a brief soft opening over the weekend.

The Butcher shop, owned by West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe owner Mark Lutz, will showcase the skills of veteran butchers Jeff Cesarz and Gary Meyer, both of whom came to the shop after previous work with Rupena’s Fine Foods.

With their help, Becher Meats will offer a full complement of both fresh and smoked meats, basic grocery items and related offerings like rubs, barbeque sauce, bakery buns and complementary items like sauerkraut and cocktail sauce.

Step into the space and you’ll find a meat case filled with a variety of offerings from prime and choice Angus steaks to ground beef and pork chops.

There are also housemade sausages including fresh Hungarian, Polish, Italian and bratwurst, along with smoked varieties like Landjaeger.

Customers can also choose from a variety of pre-seasoned, ready to cook options like bone-in stuffed chicken breast, buffalo chicken, bourbon barbeque chicken and chicken cordon bleu, among others.

Cold cases also feature prepackaged whole chickens, hindquarters, breasts and thighs, along with housemade items like summer sausage and snack sticks, including a variety flavored with Lutz Bloody Mary Mix.

Meanwhile, freezer cases stock a variety of additional housemade sausages, meats, specialty items like pheasant bratwurst and leg of lamb and a variety of seafood from mussels and scallops to blue gill, lobster and wild salmon burgers.

In the days ahead, you’ll also find housemade smoked bacon, a delicacy which is currently being perfected in the shop’s smoker.

And if you're looking for something to round out your cheese and charcuterie platter (or make an extra special pizza or sandwich), you'll also find locally made cured meats as well.

While you’re there, don’t forget to pick up your swag. T-shirts, oven mitts, aprons and baseball caps.

Be sure to say hello to Lutz, if he's working the register.

Starting today, Becher Meats will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.