It has remodeled and refurbished its facility, added to its retail product line, but the Kalon…

By Mary Zielinski (free-lance)

It has remodeled and refurbished its facility, added to its retail product line, but the Kalona Locker, 211 5th St., is still providing its long-time custom butchering service.

In fact, with the addition to the staff of Jack Waterman, the former operator of the Brighton meat locker, the local facility has gained some 18 years of experience.

“We have continued the custom butchering,” explained Manager Mike Belin, who said the Locker handles hogs, cattle, sheep, goats and even buffalo.

However, “we are phasing out the individual lockers because we just need the space,” he added. The service can provide “short-term storage,” but the long-time locker rentals probably will be closed out by the end of the year.

Equally important for the service is being prepared for the new rules in state and federal inspection that will arrive with the new year. The Locker expects to meet the standards for both levels.

Its sales room has been remodeled and now offers, besides meat products, a variety of cheese, pop and specialty items, including fresh deli pickles.

It also has continued offering meats under the Locker’s well-known Amishmaid brand name.

It also plans to have a mail order department, something predicated upon having an Internet web site.

Belin was uncertain exactly when that would take place, acknowledging that fulfilling mail orders could keep one person busy.

Belin indicated that once the office remodeling is done, “it will be easier” to assess what additions, if any, may be made to the service.