Davy Jones Quality Meats

Davy Jones Quality Meats, located at 1030 Confederation Street, opened its doors in 1994. Five years later, 16-year-old Kyle Deloof dropped his resume off to Jones. "Davy said he would give me a call when he had hours to give me. I called him every week for the next four weeks. Finally, he said, 'Okay, you’ve bugged me enough, I’ll get you in.'" Deloof worked two hours a day cleaning up after the meat cutters. He quickly picked up the cuts of meat and the skill. "The butchers gave me lots of practice and showed me all the right ways. Eventually it grew into a passion for me."

Deloof worked at Davy Jones Quality Meats for several years before accepting a position with the Carpenter’s Union. He worked in the plants for four years, helping Jones during busy seasons. "One day, I asked him when he was going to retire. Davy said, 'I don’t know. Maybe when someone makes me an offer.' I looked at him and said, 'Let’s figure something out.'" Deloof took over Davy Jones Quality Meats in June of 2013. "There was a lot of work at the start. I was well versed in the meat department, but I had to learn about ordering, dealing with vendors and the rest of the departments. Davy stayed for two months to show me the ropes." Davy Jones Quality Meats sells fresh and frozen beef, chicken and pork. They have a huge selection of deli meat and you can’t beat their $4.95 deli sandwich, served daily. "Our quality is second to none. We always buy the best quality Canadian meat that is properly aged. It’s a better product for the same price you would pay at a big box store."

To differentiate himself from the other grocery stores, Deloof decided not to carry any pre-packaged food. Instead, he has filled the shelves with unique items that can’t be found anywhere else. "We started baking more items in the store, like pies, cinnamon buns, cookies and muffins. We have expanded our produce a little bit and plan to go a bit bigger with it next year." Deloof has 14 employees, many of whom are long-term. "Kevin has been here since the store opened. His biggest strength is the rapport he has with the customers. Many often wait so Kevin can help them." Davy Jones Quality Meats customers appreciate having one-on-one time with an experienced butcher to ask questions and discuss cooking techniques. "Customers come in with a photo from a recipe they printed off the internet and ask, 'Can you cut me this?' And we can."

Deloof continues to take on new challenges. In November 2017, he and two friends opened Bluewater Liquidation at Northgate Plaza. "We came across an opportunity and just went for it. People really love it." Within the next two years, Deloof hopes to open another butcher shop in the north end of Sarnia and, if that goes well, he is looking forward to expanding beyond Sarnia.