Columbia's Barred Owl to close retail butcher shop; restaurant remains open

Barred Owl Butcher and Table , one of Columbia's more inventive eateries, will close its retail butcher shop "for the foreseeable future" while its restaurant operation will continue.

Barred Owl, which is located at 47 E. Broadway, announced the decision in a Facebook post Friday, noting the butcher shop "has been a part of this community and a critical part of our identity since we opened our doors."

"Since 2020, costs have continued to rise and our margins are too slim to justify continued retail business," the post continued. "We are proud of the quality of the meats, breads, cheeses, and myriad other local and sustainable products we have sold over the counter since 2017."

The move won't change the place well-sourced and -prepared meats have on the Barred Owl menu, the post assured customers.

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"Our focus shifts fully onto our restaurant, where we will continue to utilize community driven ingredients in the most creative and delicious ways we can. Our butchers will continue to slice, cut, smoke, cure, age, grind, stuff, and cook the best meat and charcuterie around," the post read.

The Barred Owl menu is a responsive one, changing with the seasons, but butcher boards and cheese boards play a significant role in setting the tone and the table. Other items on the most currently accessible menu include signature dishes such as shrimp and grits and the pimiento cheeseburger as well as persimmon glazed duck breast, lamb ragu and grilled salmon.

Barred Owl also is known for one of the more distinct and distinguished cocktail menus in Columbia.

Learn more about Barred Owl at https://www.barredowlbutcher.com/ .

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia's Barred Owl to close retail butcher shop; restaurant remains open