St. Johns-area meat market to open store in downtown DeWitt

DEWITT — A St. Johns-area meat market and butcher shop specializing in fresh cuts, summer sausages and jerky is opening a second location in downtown DeWitt by the end of the year, the company announced this week.

Bellingar Specialty Meats will occupy an approximately 4,000-square-foot storefront at 128 S. Bridge St. The DeWitt store will offer fresh meat cut to order, summer sausages, jerky and sticks, house-made bratwursts, and patties. The meat market will include a deli section and sell charcuterie boards.

"We do 95% of everything ourselves," General Manager Barbie Kolodica said. Many of the products sold in DeWitt "will be made between the St Johns and the Ashley location and shipped up there," she said.

The business, an extension of Gratiot County's Bellingar Packing, 1557 E. Wilson Road, opened its first meat market at 5006 N. U.S. 27 in Greenbush Township nine years ago.

DeWitt is 'perfect fit'

Bellingar Packing, a meat processing and packing operation, dates back to 1977.

DeWitt is the "perfect fit" for a meat market," Kolodica said. The company wasn't actively looking for space there, but the availability of the South Bridge Street building, formerly home to a pharmacy, along with getting a feel for the community was proof enough that it made sense, she said.

"They had a building, and we went looked at it, and we left the location, and we talked to a lot of the business owners in the town," Kolodica said.

The new market in DeWitt will offer the same selection as the company's St. Johns location, with a few new additions.

"We're looking to do a lot of Michigan-made products," Kolodica said; that means partnering up with an area bakery to offer their treats and adding Michigan-made cheeses and other items.

"We pride ourselves on U.S. Choice-grade meat," Kolodica said.

What they sell is sourced from companies in Michigan and Indiana, she said.

"Depending on the time of year, there are steaks, there's roast, there's patties, there's brats, fresh-cut bacon, breakfast sausage," Kolodica said, and Bellingar's in-house summer sausage and jerky is award-winning.

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Fall or early winter opening planned

So far, feedback from customers and local residents about the new market has been positive, Kolodica said.

"The outpouring on Facebook has been absolutely excellent," she said. "There have been good reviews and excitement."

Signage announcing Bellingar Specialty Meats has already been placed on the exterior of the South Bridge Street building and the company announced its plans for the store via a Facebook post on Friday.

"We are thrilled to announce that Bellingar Specialty Meats is adding a new location to our growing small business," the post read. "Your new destination for the finest specialty meats in Downtown DeWitt . Our store will offer our unparalleled selection of high-quality meats, sourced from the best suppliers."

Loretta Spinrad, president of the DeWitt Area Chamber of Commerce, said residents and area business owners have told her they're excited for the market.

"I think it's interesting when you can bring a new type of business into a community that can provide something a little bit different," she said. "I think most people are looking at it as a positive addition. I haven't heard anything different."

Kolodica said the goal is to open the location by the end of the year.

"We were hoping by September, but now it's going to maybe look more like later fall, early winter," she said.

The store will likely employ between five or six full- and part-time staff, Kolodica said.

Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: St. Johns-area meat market to open store in downtown DeWitt