Business
BY JULIANNA WASHBURN
Montgomery-area Mariel’s Meat Market carves out a comeback For the managers at Mariel’s Meat Market, seeing customers smile at the joy of getting a fresh cut of meat or being able to guide them toward a new taste is their favorite part. It’s also what they said makes the store stand out from others. Staying local Mariel’s Meat Market, a family-owned specialty butcher shop and deli, took root in Montgomery when they opened as a supermarket in 1983. Along with its “dessert of the day,” the supermarket became known for its meats. “We had people that came from Houston just to our meat market just to buy the meat,” Manager Tony Guerra said. The supermarket closed down in the early 2000s, after Walmart opened in Montgomery, Guerra said. Despite its closure, the family ultimately wanted to bring the business back. Guerra said it was about 10 years ago when his family opened Mariel’s Xpress Market located on Walden Road, where the family still operates their own meat market inside. On the menu Mariel’s Meat Market manager Je ery Edgington said customer favorites include the beef tenderloin, prime rib eye, choice rib eyes and choice strips. Other menu items include bohemian garlic sausage and bacon-wrapped asparagus. “About 75% of [the meat] is Texas-based, actually. ... We do have meats from other places, but our main focus always is the freshest, the closest, the nearest possible,” Guerra said.
Bacon-wrapped teres majors ($12.99 per pound) is another item the meat market o ers customers.
JULIANNA WASHBURN COMMUNITY IMPACT
The market’s o erings include prime rib eye ($29.99 per pound) with bacon-wrapped asparagus ($2.50 per pound).
An employee at the market prepares a cut of meat.
JULIANNA WASHBURN COMMUNITY IMPACT
COURTESY MARIEL’S MEAT MARKET
Going forward In September 2024, Mariel’s Meat Market opened its second location, which serves as a smaller, bou- tique shop. Guerra said it’s a prototype to see how they could continue to grow in smaller formats. The business is also currently working on the expansion of their original store on Walden Road, and Guerra said they hope to incorporate the bakery and dessert wheel into the business format again, like they did back in the 1980s. “We want to bring back some of that nostalgia into the mix,” Guerra said.
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