CHANDLER, AZ — The goal of our "We're Open" project is to highlight local restaurants and businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders.
Our next story takes us to Von Hanson's Meats & Spirits in Chandler, an old-fashioned, small town butcher that has been part of the community for 16 years.
The business was founded in 1984 in Minnesota, where 23 stores have opened over the years in the "Bread and Butter" state. The only out-of-state location is here in Arizona, along Alma School Road between Elliot and Warner roads.
They've remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic where they've been serving high-quality meats to their customers, said assistant manager Bryan Schwitters.
"We make 150 styles of brats. We carry a certified Angus beef, all from the Midwest (and) corn fed," said Schwitters. "All of our chickens are free range, hormone-free."
They also have different kinds of jerky, house-made barbecue sauce, spices, rubs, wood, and charcoal.
"We have a small selection of wine and a wide selection of local beers," he said.
They even have treats for the dogs. "We love our fur babies. We have smoked bones. raw bones, pig ears, pig feet, chicken feet," said Schwitters.
Amid the pandemic, while plenty of businesses have seen sales and customers drop, Van Hanson's has seen the opposite.
"Our business has substantially grown due to COVID-19 because all the other grocery stores are having trouble getting their supplies in. With us being a local business, we reach out to different vendors to get our items," he said.
That doesn't mean they haven't made changes. Temporarily, they've stopped putting together their meat bundles due to the time it takes to prepare those and have limited sales of ground beef to five pounds per customer.
They are also making sure they're following those CDC-recommended guidelines to keep their staff and customers safe. "We're constantly walking around sanitizing doors, door handles, cash registers, screens, scales, anything that a person will touch," he said. We're constantly wiping down. We are maintaining a six-feet apart distance. We only allow 10 people in the store."
IF YOU GO:
Van Hanson's Meats and Spirits
2390 N Alma School Rd, Chandler, AZ 85224
https://vonhansons.com
We're Open, Arizona: We know this is a tough time for a lot of people in our community, including local restaurants and businesses. As local spots continue to serve takeout, look for ways to safely do business, and give back to our community, we want to share their stories. Visit abc15.com/open or email us at OpenInAZ@abc15.com.
