The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of Pat’s Meat Market.
In the era of “Big Joe” Vacchiano, Jaime’s great-grandfather who immigrated to Portland from Italy and started a butcher’s shop at the base of Munjoy Hill, there was a meat market in every neighborhood. Over time, Pat’s Meat Market held on while others vanished. Jaime Vacchiano said the business pressures are demanding, yielding little in profit, which may explain the scarcity of private butcher shops today. He also theorized that a 24/7 world is inhospitable to an old-fashioned family business built on quality over expediency.
One of my biggest culinary regrets is that I never got a chance to visit The Cafe at Pat’s before it closed (last year?). I had heard good things about it. Bummer.
The very, very Good New is that it has (or will shortly) re-opened with the original Chief at the helm.