Tony's Butcher Shop expands with purchase of second location

Chuck Hyatt, a veteran in the meat industry, is expanding his old-fashioned Grayslake butcher shop.

Tony's Butcher Shop, in its 11th year at 209 Route 83, has opened a second shop at 408 Peterson Road in Libertyville.

The newest butcher shop, near the driver's license facility, has gone through two owners in the past several years. "Through experience and quality," Hyatt is confident he can make the Libertyville location thrive like his shop further north.

Incidentally, the original owner of the Libertyville shop is now working part-time for Hyatt. Tony Prignics ran the shop, then known as the Meat Quarter, from 1977 to 1989 until he sold it to his partner at the time.

Prignics then worked as a sales rep for a meat company for six years. "That wasn't for me. I decided to come back to my own little playground," said Prignics, of McHenry.

After spending 52 years in the meat industry, he calls himself a master butcher. He describes the growing business as a "gourmet specialty meat market." It's all about quality meats, he said. "No one can beat us at this game," he said.

New owner Hyatt admits that he enjoys a challenge is looking to make the Libertyville location thrive as it did years ago.

Prior to buying the Grayslake Tony's shop two and a half years ago, Hyatt worked in the meat department at Jewel for 24 years. He and his wife, Paula, reside in Lindenhurst where they have two children, Megan, 17, and Charley, 19. Charley assists in the business while attending the College of Lake County. Paula works as a kindergarten teacher in Winthrop Harbor.

Wine was recently added at Tony's Butcher Shop in Grayslake when the store was refurbished. Dean Caselli operates this aspect of the business.

The butcher stores are known for their steaks, chops, freshly ground hamburger, chicken cutlets, pork and beef roasts, prime rib, pork crown roasts and leg of lamb.

To save busy families time in the kitchen, the stores also offer prepared foods including Italian beef, meatloaf and lasagna.

The motto at the business is "we're a cut above the rest," Hyatt said. "We're an old fashioned butcher shop with old family values," he added.

He admits shoppers may pay a little more for some of his products, but they notice the quality. "People are entertaining more at home and we're becoming more health conscious," he said.

The stores are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (847) 543-1960 or check out www.tonysbutchershop.com.