TAKING on a new business venture can be a difficult task at any age but the new owner of Maleny Quality Meats is doing his best to prove age really is just a number.
Since coming out of retirement last year, 81-year-old Jack Freeman has loved every minute of working at one of Maleny’s most iconic businesses, with the town’s original butcher dating back to 1890.
The Palmwoods resident took over Maleny Quality Meats last year and has been renovating the shop, while it is still operating, to give it a modern touch.
Jack has more than 60 years’ experience as a butcher, starting his apprenticeship in 1954 at South Grafton Abattoirs.
He worked at butcheries in Canada then spent two decades as the owner of Mountain Creek Butchers before retiring.
Jack’s daughter Danielle said her father now hoped to bring the same old-fashioned service and quality to Maleny.
“His main aim is to make this an old school butcher,” Danielle said.
“He can make anything on the spot for you. If you’ve got a recipe that needs 200g of pork and 100g of veil mince, he will do it there on the spot rather than you having to buy pre-packaged.
“They also bone everything on site and will be putting in a new line of pastries, curries and other things that people can take home and cook,” she said.
Maleny Quality Meats will continue to add new products over the coming months and currently has a wide range of organic and grass-fed meats.
A ramp has been installed at the entrance to make the store more accessible for people in wheelchairs and for people carting trolleys.
Main image: Celebrating a new life for an iconic butchery are Scott Cordwell, Peter Morten, Shaun Cooper, Kim Phipps, Brad McKillop and Jack Freeman