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Drewes Bros Slammed by Whole Foods

Drewes Bros Slammed by Whole Foods

Photo: Yelp

It looks like the new Whole Foods in Noe Valley has started claiming its first neighborhood victim. Drewes Brothers, the natural butcher shop at Church and 29th streets, has seen a roughly 20 percent drop in business, which was already down from the bad economy, owner Josh Epple told Grub Street on the phone. "We weren't expecting it to have this effect, at least in the first three weeks. But it's also new so people could be checking it out. Maybe it won't stay like that," he said. SFist noted that word has gone out on the Glen Park Parents e-mail list, and Epple said he's had a few people mention that when they've come in. "That all helps," he said. Epple has already cut employees' hours, and is working by himself most mornings. He expects to make back some losses over the holidays, but if things don't change he'll have to close by the middle of next year. "The place is worth fighting for. It's been there 120 years, in that very spot in the neighborhood," Epple said.

Get Your Meat on at Drewes Brothers Butchers [SFist]

By: Adam Martin Filed Under: drewes brothers, noe valley, whole foods
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3 Comments - Add yours

  • I have always had excellent service at Drewe's. They are knowledgable, friendly, and efficient. I always feel welcome there. Their meats are of the highest quality, and they have a great selection of sustainably raised and/or local meats, which is important to me. I had to move out of SF a couple years ago, and I miss Drewe's terribly. I bought steaks for special dinners, other meat and fish on a regular basis, and frozen marrow bones for my dogs. Whenever I go back to SF, I encourage my friends to shop there, and I usually buy some bones for my dogs. I only wish I were still in the neighborhood so I could go there every week. I like Whole Foods well enough, but I will always shop local, if given the choice, assuming the products are of good quality. Let's get the word out there and save Drewe's!

    By Eden Halbert on 10/30/2009 at 12:29 AM

  • Eric, I think that's precisely why Drewes needs saving - it's not a palace of meat where people pay $175 to watch an artisanal butchery demonstration (actual price of the NOPA event), and Isaac and Josh haven't given in to the local celebrity hype (though with their looks, they could get their own show on the Food Network). It's a good, old-fashioned butcher shop - pure and honest, but not much more (well, besides a notary and a PO box). I think it's important for our kids and our generation of food geeks to understand that quality, sustainable food can come from the quaint shop around the corner, and not just from a Michelin-starred restaurant, a gleaming high-concept supermarket, or an overpriced, glossy "farmers market." Also, not sure when you may have come in, but I've always had incredibly nice service, despite how busy the counter folks might have been. No, it's not Michelin star service, but it's REAL. Last Thanksgiving, around turkey pickup time, Drewes put out pies, pastries, apple cider and other snacks for customers to enjoy during the wait. People sat on benches and actually interacted with their neighbors. This ritual is something I look forward to again this year, and it's something you just don't get at Whole Paycheck. A bunch of locals have put together a Facebook Fan page: http://bit.ly/SaveDrewes . If you believe in saving Drewes, I encourage you to check it out and become a fan!

    By foodiegrl on 10/29/2009 at 11:56 AM

  • I don't think they're failing because Whole Foods opened a few weeks ago. I rarely shop at Drewes because they aren't very friendly, they rarely have any specials, and they don't have any new ideas. They should offer ready-to-cook meals, ideas and recipes, limited or seasonal specials, wine tastings, community/charity tie-ins -- all the things Whole Foods is great at. They could also offer free weekly delivery -- by foot or bike -- to Noe Valley residents. Lots of things they could be doing (like fixing their Web site, which isn't working right now). I want them to succeed, but I'm not surprised that they're not. I've never been a fan of Whole Foods, but as a Noe Valley resident, I have to admit that they're starting to win me over. I still get most things at the 30th and Church produce market, which is a block from Drewes. But Drewes always seems like a lackluster choice and a boring shopping experience. Even the crankiest old-school dude at Lucca delicatessen will give my kid a breadstick or offer to have me taste a salami I've never tried just because I asked what it was. I don't get that at Drewes. They're just not that outgoing. The hard-core foodies of SF are spending their weekends watching the live butchering of pigs. They love a hyper-local approach that is savvy and smart, but Drewes just keeps doing the same old thing. You have to do more than offer grass-fed beef. You have to engage the community. Again, I truly want them to succeed, but blaming Whole Foods is the easy way out.

    By Eric Suesz on 10/29/2009 at 3:17 AM

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