The Story Behind Help Save the Butchers
From butcher to retailer to educator
Help Save the Butchers grew out of more than 58 years of hands-on meat experience — cutting meat, managing meat departments, talking with customers, operating an independent supermarket and teaching others in the industry.
Bob Buonomano began cutting meat at age 15. What started as learning the butcher trade grew into supermarket meat management, independent retail ownership, customer education and industry training.
Since 2009, Bob has served on the faculty for supermarket-management classes at what was then called the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, sharing practical meat-department and marketing experience with retailers.
Read the Progressive Grocer Independent Articles
Experience You Can See
The Help Save the Butchers story was built behind a real meat counter, but the ideas also reached the broader food-retail industry. These two videos show Bob sharing that experience beyond his own store.
Progressive Grocer Interview
A third-party industry interview about the meat department, customer service and the thinking behind Help Save the Butchers.
National Grocers Panel — Bob Buonomano
The shortened 10:42 version focuses on Bob's portion of the discussion and shows the experience behind the HSTB message.
These videos play on this website without taking you away from Help Save the Butchers.
A meat department should be more than a case
The idea behind HSTB came from watching supermarket meat departments change. Bob believed independents had an opportunity to offer something different: fresh cutting, knowledgeable employees, custom service, real answers and a relationship between the butcher and the customer.
Help Save the Butchers begins
The program began in 2000. Its purpose was to make customers aware that having a real butcher in the store has value.
Bringing the customer into the story
The message appeared on department signs, package labels, shelf talkers, advertising, videos and other materials throughout the meat department.
Teaching customers about meat
HSTB expanded beyond the store through videos showing customers how to choose meat and how whole cuts are broken down.
See the HSTB Video HistorySharing the idea with other retailers
The program also developed a retailer side. Bob spoke to independent retailers about meat-department operations, merchandising, customer service and building a clear identity.
The idea continues
Today the store is Bob's Butcher & Basket, but the basic philosophy remains: customers should still be able to see the people cutting their meat, ask questions and request special cuts.