Fresh-cut meat products in the Panhandle

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The next time you visit Bridgeport, you might want to check out a unique market that puts the spotlight on quality meats.

Ryan Nelson is the owner of the store, and we talked with him about his business. “We are on U.S. Highway 385, so I decided to name it the 385 Meat Market,” Nelson said. “We not only carry meat, but also an assortment of rubs and spices that compliment the meats. We also have a nice gift shop that features new, used, and antique items.”

“We do have one full-service grocery store in town,” Nelson said. “Seven years ago, we had a second grocery store that I worked at. The owner was ready to retire. He sold the store, it closed, and Bridgeport was left with just one option for quality cut meats. I decided it would be good for the community and myself to open this store, and offer meats. We’ve been here approximately 6-and-a-half years, so the feedback has been good.” We asked Nelson where he gets his meat products. “The beef, for example, we sell a lot of Greater Omaha, which is a Nebraska beef product. We like to sell primarily choice beef or higher in quality, and the beef comes from places where local area producers would sell. We don’t buy meat from out-of-country, and it comes from within the tri-state area.”

Along with seasonings on the shelves, and other Nebraska products, the business features some unique gifts. “We feature candles that are made here locally in Bridgeport that are made of 90% beef fat,” Nelson said. “They smell amazing, they are long-lasting, and they burn very clean. We are here Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We are closed on Sundays. We do ship. In fact, we had several ribeye’s recently shipped to New York and South Carolina. A customer wanted to send some quality Nebraska beef to his friends in those states.”

If you want to know more, the 385 Meat Market can be found on Facebook.

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