I love hearing the back story of how a business owner came to be. There’s always a plot twist, an unexpected turn on the path… some kind of kismet, that landed them where they are today. In 2024, the owner of Rath’s Butcher & Deli, affectionately known as “Meat Man Matt” by family, friends and fans, took great care in writing out the series of events that led him to take ownership of this legendary food establishment. He published it as a Facebook post, which got a ton of love.
I ended up back on the story again recently, and thought it made such great, inspirational tale, worthy of being shouted a little bit louder. If you have been that person, tottering on the brink of possibilities in your career, and life, then take a few moments to read and fully appreciate, his words. It’s a great story!
The Story of How “Matt the Meat Man” Came into Ownership of Rath’s Deli (Thanks to a Thoughtless Remark from a Grocery Store Hiring Manager)
I’ve always wanted to share the full story of how I came into owning & operating Rath’s Butcher & Deli. I always decided not to, because I didn’t think people would really care. But yet, I always found it interesting to hear about other people’s life stories. So maybe people will find this interesting. I was reminded today about it by this rejection letter I received exactly 10 years ago from Shop Rite.
Many have asked through the years what the framed letter from Shop Rite is hanging on the wall inside our shop. And we’ve given a much, much, much shorter version when explaining to the customers who’ve asked. Here is the extended version, with nothing left out. I’ll fast forward to 2015 as 2007-2014 was simply just working through high school, college, and after college.
The year: 2015. I’m at a crossroads in my young professional life. I have a BA degree in Communications from ESU in 2012, but I didn’t use it. Instead, I fell in love with butchering. I’d been working at Rath’s for 8 years at this point. Started as counter help, moved to back-of-the-house assistant, to assistant butcher, to head butcher.
At this time, I was butting heads with the owners and tensions were getting high. It was neither of our faults. When you work together and see each other as much as we did, eventually you’re going to have some disagreements. I had a vision of where I wanted to stand at Rath’s. and how I wanted to my life to continue. Their vision for themselves at that time was different. That’s how it goes sometimes in business. So I began looking for new job opportunities.
ShopRite was opening a new location in Bethlehem and was interviewing/attending hiring fairs for positions. Butcher was one of them. I should note that I never thought I would try to work at a grocery store chain for butchering. But the idea of joining a union was intriguing, and it was really the only option I had at the time. So I went on my off day and interviewed.
Interviews went great. If I learned anything in college as a communications major, it was how to communicate and interview. I was extremely confident. With butchering, they also put you through a cut test. No problem. Easy stuff. They schedule my cut test at the Greenwich ShopRite location. Where, I should also note, one of the Rath’s owners wife worked at… ut oh.
So, and I’m slightly embarrassed admitting to all this, I literally dress up in a disguise to walk into ShopRite just in the off chance I see her. I did this because i hadn’t told anyone I was looking for another job. I got the hat that has fake hair under it, I got fake eye glasses. The whole deal. And this was all a precaution because I thought, there is no way I’ll run into her, she’s a cashier, I know the layout, I’ll just loop around and I’m good.
Well, wouldn’t you know it. She was stocking shelves that day. And I can’t make this up any better, I turned a corner fast as I was speed-walking, and literally physically bumped into her. By the grace of God, she didn’t recognize me as we made eye contact.
(I’ve never mentioned that part ever before, but Rose or Dennis, if you read this, I hope you get as much as a laugh about it as i do now.)
I continued to the butcher section, completed the cut test with ease, and went home thinking I had the job in the bag.
Couple weeks go by, and I receive this letter. Honestly, I was crushed. Couldn’t believe it. Was trying to replay in my mind if I did anything wrong. Nothing came to mind. It was the first time I ever lost at something that I was super confident about. A few more days go by, I get a call from ShopRite asking me to come down to the hiring office to talk about letter/interview/cut test. It was my day off so I said sure why not.
Went down there. They explained that they promoted part time people from Greenwich to full time at the new location, and that it had come down to being between me and one other person for an “outside hire” for full time. The other gentleman just had more hours under his belt. But, they offered me part time with no timeframe of when full time would become available.
I declined as I couldn’t afford to take a reduction in income. This goes on to happen three more times in the following weeks. All three times, I just happened to be on my day off with nothing to do, so I took the calls and went.
The second time, I was offered part time for one year, with full time employment after that. I declined. The third time, I was offered part time for 6 months with full time after. I declined. The fourth and final time, they offered me full-time right away, the whole shabang…. 40+ hrs, union, benefits, everything I wanted.
I’m ecstatic. I tell them I’m going to take the night to think it over and will have a decision the next day (I was 150% taking the job, I just wanted to make them wait it out since they made me wait).
As I’m about to get up to leave, one of the interviewers says, “You’ll like this a lot more. I’ve been to the shop you’re at and it’s really nothing special at all.”
In my mind, I worked so hard to try and make beautiful case setups and branch out in creating new products. I was always fastidious, making sure little things were correct like labels being straight and clean, and making sure nothing in the case was crooked.
To me, and I know he didn’t mean it like how I’m about to describe it, but at 25 years old I had an attitude… and I took it as “This guy just said all the work I’ve done at Rath’s is sht.” Excuse my language. I go home and it stews in me all night. The next morning, I decline their offer, withdraw my name completely, and go to my shift at Rath’s.
Over the next few months and year, in conversations with the owners, we were able to put together an agreement and plan for a time frame for them to retire, and for myself and partners to take over in 2017… and here we are today.
It is absolutely wild to think about how different my life would have been had the interviewer not said what he said as I was leaving. Literally a 5-second sentence, and I’d be in a whole different world and life. Always bet on yourself!
If anyone would like to share a similar experience of a life-changing decision in their professional life, comment below! I love hearing stories!
Final note: The Rath’s brothers and I have gone on to have a great professional and personal relationship with each other. Our relationship, while up and down during that time, was fully repaired not long after that. I consider them like father figures to me, and I’ll always be eternally grateful in them having the confidence and belief in me to continue the work they had started in 1997!
Rath’s Butcher and Delicatessen serves the Phillipsburg, NJ area with fine quality meats and prepared foods and catering services. From soups to steaks to seasonal fare and even delectable doggie bones, at Rath’s you’ll find everything you need to create a delicious feast to feed family and friends.
Contact Info:
Rath’s Butcher and Deli
450 County Road 519
Stewartsville, NJ
Phone: (908) 213-2121
Menu: rathsdeli.com