This past Saturday morning while talking with my wife Katie about what I’d make for dinner after showings that evening, I remembered that Pottstown Meat & Deli was making its debut weekend at their new/old location (4217 West Southport Road).
Pottstown Meat & Deli’s new/old location as they return to Pottstown located at 4217 West Southport Road
As a marketer, I have loved that Pottstown has one of the best taglines of Peoria businesses and a good pun. “Where Peoria Meats.” When they first opened in Metro Centre 18 years ago, Katie and I, newly married and newly homeowners, would walk from our duplex in the Westbrook neighborhood on Saturday mornings from Spring through Fall to visit the Metro Centre farmers market and Pottstown where we could get most of what we needed for the week. When I heard the news Pottstown was relocating back I wondered whether that was the end of our patronage. Peoria has many good butchers like Alwan & Sons and Raber Packing Co, but there was something I’ve always enjoyed about going into Pottstown. I’ve never felt stupid asking questions about the origin of cuts on an animal or how to cook something. I’ve found them to be reasonably priced and it’s nice shopping at a locally owned business that focuses on quality and service. Over the years, I’ve explored smoking, grilling, sous vide, broiling, curing, and braising and they’ve been good to answer my questions, a drastically different experience than I’ve gotten from grocery store or membership meat departments.
Mike showing a home to clients in The Uplands neighborhood
After my afternoon showings, I looked at their FB page and saw that they’d only be open until 4pm then looked at my watch which read 3:31pm. “Oh well, I guess I’ll go next week.” Then, I thought, sitting in my car after my last showing in the Bournedale neighborhood of Peoria,
“How far is it really?” “12 minutes, I can make that”.
After all, Peoria is a 15 minute town. Having worked in grocery stores in high school and college, I dreaded the customer who was walking in just as we were getting ready to close. I didn’t want to be that guy. But I was curious to see their new store.
The interior of the newly opened Pottstown Meat & Deli
I arrived at 3:43pm, parked and walked in. Stylewise, it was just the same as their previous location, albeit half of the size. Bright, airy, and comfortable. The deli’s history dates back over a century, with the Barth family maintaining a steadfast commitment to providing high-quality, all-natural meats sourced from Midwest farms. Their product range includes beef, pork, chicken, and a variety of specialty items such as marinated pork chops and fresh sausages. I especially like the beef sticks. They also carry specialty sodas and local cheeses and butters. In a WEEK interview the family explained the decision to relocate back to Southport Road which was announced in November 2024 and which always operated as their smokehouse and production facility. Co-owner and manager Jason Barth expressed excitement about returning to their roots, stating that the move would allow them to continue their family’s multi-generational tradition of offering premium meats and personalized service.
According to staff that I talked to, the reopening at the original location has been well-received by customers with a steady flow of people all day coming to check out the new location. I was one of almost a dozen people still in the store close to closing time. Southport Road gives a different type of scenery than most Peorians may be used to. Whether it’s driving past Neal’s U-Pick car graveyard (unfortunately closed for business) where the western setting sun gleams off the tops of the cars or the expansive land to the west of Southport Road if you’re headed toward the Reservoir intersection.
Map with the Red dot showing the new location of Pottstown Meat and Deli at 4217 W Southport Rd
While the move signifies a return to familiar grounds for the Barth family it also reinforces Pottstown Meat & Deli’s commitment to serving Peoria with excellence for generations to come. It signifies a defiance of doing the easy thing or the status quo. I hope that it gives Peorian’s an opportunity to explore more of the scenic drive that Southport Road has to offer and a tie into remembering where the products Pottstown offers originate.
Curious, I was glad to find out that the drive home to the West Bluff was almost identical to the amount of time it would have taken me to get home from Metro Centre. It allowed me time to appreciate the recent remodel of Nebraska Ave between Park Rd and University which now includes sidewalks for a new running route. So in the end, it wasn’t much of a change after all at least distance wise. Pottstown now is more of a destination but it’s one I’ll gladly make for a family owned and operated business, who cares about their business, their community, and their customers. Check it out, tell us what you think. We’d love to hear from you.
Visit Pottstown Meat and Deli by going to their new location at 4217 West Southport Road, or visit them online
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