WOODSBORO, Texas — In the town of Woodsboro, located off of 2nd and Johnson Streets, is something that homegrown residents are very familiar with, but also welcomes those traveling from far and wide.
Tuttle's Grocery and Meat Market has been in business for more than 90 years, and in that time, has faced multiple changes and challenges, but owner, Stanley Tuttle, says the pandemic has been unlike anything else.
"Just trying to adjust, keep up with it, which, we're just doing the best we can," said Tuttle.
The business dates back to 1928 when it was founded by Tuttle's grandfather near the old post office and ice house. In 1954, the building where the business currently stands was built. His grandfather passed away in 1956, handing the reigns to his two sons. In 1994, Tuttle took over.
"We've been fortunate over the years to have grown in our niche with our meat market and all our specialty items and smoked products and have been able to survive with an old, old grocery store, which is a thing of the past really and truly," Tuttle said.
"We're not able to be competitive on the grocery end, but one thing we are able to do, we are competitive on the meat end. I watch it all the time with the big chains, and we're right in line or a little cheaper than they are."
Tuttle said when meat products began to clear grocery store shelves early into the pandemic, he was concerned. However, being a local business in a smaller town actually helped in this case. He explained that though the restaurant side of the business took a bit of a hit as the dining room first closed, it was the meat products and sales that really helped carry them through.
"It was something like we had never seen before, I'll tell you that. The business we did for, I guess, two and a half to three months was just tremendous. Couldn't get meat at the big stores," Tuttle said.
He recalled customers coming to Woodsboro from places like Corpus Christi, Victoria, Sinton and Rockport to pick up meat from their location.
"We were able to keep stock where a lot of people didn't," Tuttle said. "Very fortunate."
The business has 23 employees. Tuttle credits his family for helping him operate the store and meat market, and adds that consistent community support, along with a willingness to break away from a long-standing business model to something more modern goes a long way.
"I got in a rut about three years ago, trying to do business the same way that I was taught by my dad," Tuttle said. "I got into a pretty good bind myself and almost got to closing my doors myself. I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm a computer guy, or a Facebook guy, because I am not by no means, I did not grow up in that era, but it's amazing what it will do for you."
He says he realizes so many of his fellow family-owned Coastal Bend businesses are struggling as they navigate the pandemic and try to find what works best for their shops. For which, he offered some words of encouragement:
"Don't give up. Don't give up. Hard work, determination, and always think outside the box."
To learn more about Tuttle's Grocery & Meat Market's history, services and eats, click here.