What began as a dream more than two years ago became a reality, Wednesday, when Neal’s Chop Shop opened its doors for business.

The store offers both raw meats and deli items. It specializes in high-quality, fresh-cut beef, pork, veal, lamb, chicken and seafood. Brenda Wetzler noted all of the beef is prime choice, and the store features Boar’s Head deli products. All of the meat is raised and processed within the United States with much of it from the Midwest.

The business also makes its own pork barbecue as well as deli items also created in-house, Wetzler said.

“We want to be a place to stop for quality products,” she said, noting the variety of grocery items on hand.

A lifetime meat cutter joined the staff and is currently training co-owner Fred Neal on the ins and outs of properly cutting the variety of meat carried at the store. Meanwhile, co-owner Travis Neal is focusing much of his time on sales and marketing.

“They are working very well together and are very hard workers,” Wetzler said.

In all, the store has six employees at the current time, and Wetzler reports a positive response thus far to the business. She noted the business works to be a service to the community with a focus on selecting products from local vendors such as O’Mara Foods.

Customers are welcome to call in orders to pick up for a single dinner or a week’s worth of menus, Wetzler said.

“We’ll have it all wrapped up and ready to go,” she said.

Special orders are also welcomed for specific types or cuts of meat or seafood.

The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Main and East Streets. Neal’s Chop Shop can be reached at 663-MEAT(6328).