FOOD PROFILE Jenna's Butcher, Deli & Market Keene, NH

Jenna's Butcher, Market and Deli of Keene opened just a few months ago on St. Patrick's Day 2022, but it already feels like a community fixture. People are busy collecting sandwiches to-go, picking out meat orders, looking over the curated wine collection and filling baskets with organic produce. &emsp;&emsp;Before owner Jenna Pearson got too invested in her hopes and dreams for a high-end butcher and deli, she wanted to hear from the community about their wants and needs. She put together a survey distributed to online Keene Sentinel subscribers, about 1,500 in total. Within 24 hours, 700 people responded with a resounding "yes." &emsp;&emsp;Her business instincts were spot on, and her skill set aligned with a niche need. Keene residents wanted a place where they could get specialty cuts to order from a local animal. They wanted a deli where they could carry out New York-style sandwiches, grab chips and a local beer. The survey provided valuable feedback and served as foundational market research. Later it was instrumental in helping her get a business loan from NBT bank. &emsp;&emsp;When looking for a location, Pearson knew she wanted something off Keene's Main Street with plenty of parking. When she found the location in the Mascoma Bank plaza, the former site of Elm City Bagels, she knew it was where the business should be. The location was easily accessible by car and across the street from the Colony Mill Apartments, 89 high-end units within walking distance of lunch. &emsp;&emsp;Both Pearson and landlord, Mascoma Bank, agreed that Jenna was the right fit for the spot, but since its last lease agreement had lapsed, serious work would be required. This process of negotiation and renovation took five months. Eighty-seven tons of concrete were pulled out of the building, and the space was stripped bare to the concrete pad. &emsp;&emsp;For the design, Pearson worked with family friend and interior designer Heath Taylor, whose previous work included Timberland stores. Pearson calls the ultimate design "City-like, clean and bright. You definitely get that market feeling." Taylor also created Pearson's hashtag, #LetsMeatatJennas. &emsp;&emsp;The walls are black and lined with impeccably white subway tile. Glass pendant lights and metal sconces add additional lighting. Two large glass cases flank each side, one a meat counter, the other the deli. Pearson regularly gets whole pigs from Archway Farm in Keene. She also sources her meat from Walpole Valley Farm, Five Sigma Farm in Sullivan, Belle and Evans chicken out of Pennsylvania and Dole and Bailey, a woman-owned business that works with New England family farms. &emsp;&emsp;Most meat is "prime," a grade above "choice." Pearson often works from a whole animal. Her experience on the cutting floor allows her to offer unique cuts, such as a tomahawk steak, a ribeye beef steak with a long handle of bone, in a similar presentation to a lamb rib steak but considerably bigger, like a steak a caveman would order. Pearson also offers dry-aged steaks, supplied by Dole and Bailey, a months-long process where the enzymes in the meat begin to break down the muscle, rendering it more tender. &emsp;&emsp;Across from the butcher case is where you can order sandwiches or other prepared food offerings, all made from scratch on-site, including potato salad, pasta salad and coleslaw. A special changes daily. Previous offerings have included cold turkey with brie, arugula and raspberry jam, hot Cubans, mac and cheese, or pulled brisket sandwiches. Pearson and her team have had to adjust to the heavy demand for sandwiches, close to 300 daily. Online orders are picked up at the butcher counter, while walk-ins order at the deli. In the pastry case, cakes and tarts by the slice are all made in-house, except for the cheesecake. &emsp;&emsp;Also, locally made cutting boards are available for purchase at the deli counter for one-time or return service use when ordering a charcuterie plate. This elegant offering can also be purchased on a disposable tray. One customer ordered a charcuterie plate in individual cups to reduce sharing. A 24-hour lead time is recommended when ordering. &emsp;&emsp;You can pick up a woven basket for perusing the provisions on your way in. A refrigerator case holds organic cauliflower, cucumbers, hummus, salmon and local milk. Wooden shelves hold high-end dry goods, including pasta, crackers, stock and soup mixes. A third rack holds a large canister of spices. &emsp;&emsp;Pearson sharpened her knife skills as a teenager working at Lisai's Market in Bellows Falls, Vermont, where she worked in many positions but was eventually tapped to work in the meat room. Pearson persevered through the new challenge, wearing more layers in the cold and getting stronger with each heavy lift. Her focus and speed quickly made her an asset. &emsp;&emsp;"My knife skills were good and fast," says Pearson. &emsp;&emsp;Pearson then worked at the Walpole Grocery in Walpole, New Hampshire. Sourcing and stocking gourmet and local provisions gave her the insight she called on to design her own Market's larder. &emsp;&emsp;"I liked that you could get a quality of food that you may not find at your local Shaws or Hannaford," notes Pearson. &emsp;&emsp;In 2018, Mike Lisai of Lisai's Market bought the Alstead General Store. Pearson was approached to run the grocery part of the store, and she accepted. It was the perfect opportunity to continue her education in ordering, balancing books, hiring and working with employees. &emsp;&emsp;In 2020, Pearson started writing a business plan with the help of her recently retired mother, Julie Tewksbury. As you look around Jenna's Market, the character and design are a collaboration between family and friends that made the work possible, and this was true from the beginning. Tewksbury, whose career had been in banking, advised Pearson on everything from writing a business plan to applying for a loan and now sometimes works behind the counter. Pearson also has two cousins that have worked as employees. &emsp;&emsp;At a time when unemployment is at an all-time high, Jenna's Market is buzzing with activity, with eight employees behind the counter and moving around the floor. Her success in inspiring applicants is a testament to the strength of the concept, and her ability to retain staff is a reflection of her experience in the field. &emsp;&emsp;"I ask people, do you like food? Do you like people? Customer service is not an easy job," says Pearson. Pearson wears a silver cleaver charm on a necklace around her neck, a reminder of where her passion began. &emsp;&emsp;"There is an art to it," she says, "looking at a primal and knowing what you can get out of it." Pearson doesn't have as much time to cut meat now that she is running the whole market, but her work remains to make one move at a time, knowing how each part fits into the whole. BOX Jenna's Butcher | Deli | Market 255 West St. Keene, NH 03431 603-338-0012 jennasmarket.com Facebook/Instagram: @jennasmarket