Kosher Blog

Thoughts:
1) Brookline Butcher is a really weak name for this place. Sounds like a Boston Herald headline for some sociopath. Plus it’s too close to Butcherie. Come on now, you’ve got a new idea give it life with a new name. You want to a brand like Le Marais? Why not give it a name like Le Marais?

2) Interesting, the Boston Jewish Community never struck me as having upscale tastes. I wonder if that’s because we never have quality places to go, or if we never have quality places to go because there is no demand. Maybe a less fancy kind of place, a la Beacon Kosher, would do better? And better fill a need in the community?

while brookline butcher is the corporate name we have been working on the possibility of a trade name. we have a few to consider but have not finalized that yet.

we believe there is a demand for glatt kosher meat in boston and thats how we differ from the butcherie, they do not carry any fresh glatt kosher meat at all. we hope that having a nicely renovated store would enhance the customer experience.

Though not Jewish and don’t keep kosher, I’m very excited about the prospect of having a real butcher in the neighborhood. We need one!

the idea of a nice restaurant excites us, but I really don’t know many people who could afford an upscale place on any kind of regular basis. Is there a demand for it? Or are we better off with a quality establishment that won’t kill any disposable income we may have?

I travel a lot for work and being Kosher, always try new places. It has been annoying that the best thing we have for variety in the Boston area is Rubins. Compared to most places in NYC, Rubins is mediocre at best … and their prices are too high for what they serve in some cases. I would love a Le Marais/Wolf and Lamb type place in Boston. Both have affordable options – it’s not like everthing is a $40 steak. I mean, if you patronize Rubins and the prices were in the same ballpark or cheaper for better food, why wouldn’t you go elsewhere?

Honestly, what I *really* want is a place like Got Kosher? in LA. Love, love, love that place.

I’m not sure that a steak house would be legal. As everyone knows, all kosher restaurants in Massachusetts are required to be one of the following types: pizza, Chinese, middle eastern, or deli. I’m sure this must be in the Mass. General Laws somewhere.

Very exciting stuff Mr. Naggar. Can’t wait to meat your new store!! Sounds to me like this could be a true neighborhood specialty butchery and beverage shop where we all can feel comfortable and get quality stuff. I think people will really take to it if its done right… What’s the name?!

Excellent location as well! Congrats in advance and best of luck!

I would love for this place to take off.

What remains to be seen is what the prices will look like. If they charge more than the Butcherie, they’ll have a very hard time.

The average Butcherie customer probably has no idea what Glatt really means, so I doubt they’ll want to shell out another $2-$3/lb over the Butcherie’s obsence prices for Glatt meat (even the non-Glatt meat is a rip-off).

Gordon and Alperin is already fulfilling the role of a Glatt Butcher (expensive)…The only way this place succeeds is if they charge less than the Butcherie.

The demand for Glatt meat in Boston is for cheap Glatt meat…Until that happens, I’ll keep shlepping my cooler back from Brooklyn, where I’ll pay much less than what the Butcherie charges for meat that has better kashrus. I know many other people who bring coolers back with them as well when they go to NY or Lakewood. It would be nice to not have to do that anymore.

David, they don’t necessarily have to beat the Butcherie’s non-glatt prices. As long as they can match those prices, they should do fine. I think there is a fairly high demand for glatt meat in Brookline, so anything better than the high glatt prices the Butcherie charges should draw most of that business, especially since the selection of glatt at the Butcherie is so limiting (with no service).
My informal comparison of the Butcherie’s non-glatt prices with glatt prices at stores around the country that I have visited (I don’t think I have seen another non-glatt store anywhere else in the past 10 years) indicates that their prices are about the same, if not slightly better than the price for glatt elsewhere.
Also, glatt meat is already available around town, as you mention at Gordon & Alperin (excellent but expensive) as well as at Specialty Provisions (good and cheap, but inconvenient) and the local supermarkets (somewhat expensive but very limited selection). If this new place can beat the glatt prices at the Butcherie and the supermarket, they should be in good shape, especially if they provide quality meat and friendly and quality service.

and this, folks, is why we have no steakhouse. Boston yids just don’t want to pay for quality service, quality wines, and top shelf kosher meat. They are just too cheap and don’t have sophisticated palettes.

Hey guys. I work for the owner and we’re still plugging away on a good name. So far we have:

Kosher Choice
The Kosher Choice
Kosher Cuts

Thoughts on those if any?

Any other name suggestions or input is more than welcome.

We’re really excited about this endeavor and hopefully we’re able to capture that friendly neighborhood old-world butchery feel. Morris and Joe will run an intimate, delicious, clean shop and we hope people love the food and the feel of it. We want our customers to help shape the store’s character in a meaningful way and make it part of their family’s day to day lives. I.E – your friendly neighborhood butcher shop…

Josh,

Why is “Kosher’ in all of your suggested names?

Smokey Joe’s BBQ is about the only place on its block where the word “kosher” is on a much smaller sign than the name of the establishment. Walking down that block, you see a whole lot of business that are selling “kosher” and only one that is selling “good food”.

You’ve already got one non kosher person on this forum excited about a real local butcher. My advice is to put up a small sign saying you are kosher, and large sign with a name that conveys that you are a *great* butcher.

Brookline Premium Butcher, Brookline Prime Meats, that sort of thing, will get you a lot more business. If you focus on selling (and having) quality, you’ll make the kosher consumer drool with delight. If you focus on selling kosher, you’ll drive away non kosher customers and reach a point where you might be tempted to cut some corners because “where else are they going to get glatt meat around here?”

I think it will be a great addition if this new place is clean, orderly, and the employees are attentive. For instance, prepared foods should be in nice displays that appeal to the appetite. Wines should be stacked neatly so we don’t assume they have been left in the heat or stood upright for too long. Butchers should help us get the cuts we want. In other cities, they have kosher markets that aren’t cramped or dirty. We should too.

Also, I agree that “kosher” should stay out of the name.

Best of luck with the new store, and thanks for giving us more options. I’ll be there several times.

best of luck with the new store… i think kosher can be part of the name. its what makes the difference

I would be thrilled — and pay more — if you carry organic, free range, ethically raised and slaughtered poultry, beef and lamb. I know many kashrut-keepers feel the same way.
Is that in your plans? Thanks!

Sounds fantastic, I can’t wait to go there sometime!

Boston Butcher

Boston Meat Market

The Holy Cow.

Carve
Steak
Saffron
Merkaz

I suggest the name “Makolet,” the Hebrew word used to describe a local store. It has a good and unique sound.

The names “Macolet” and “Merkaz” already have meanings of their own in Hebrew, which are entirely different from the idea of a butcher shop. There are also plenty of Israelis around Harvard St. who would know the difference. Instead, I will submit two ideas of my own. The first idea is “Itliz” (“Ha’Itliz” or “The Itliz” works just as well), as the Hebrew word for a butcher’s shop. The second idea – “Naggariah”, after the owner.

Better Bassar or Better Butcher Boy or Butcher Boy’s Best

How about calling it “FRESSERS”?

Here’s how they do what they do, in case you’re wondering where that tasty flesh comes from: http://blog.peta.org/archives/2010/06/israels_chief.php