End of an era? Morristown’s last butcher shop closed by health inspectors

hoeffner's sign
Some things never change. Like the sign outside Hoeffner's butcher shop in Morristown. Photo by Warren Bobrow.
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NOT-SO-HAPPY THANKSGIVING at Hoeffner's in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
NOT-SO-HAPPY THANKSGIVING at Hoeffner’s in Morristown. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

 

Three generations of shoppers have come to Hoeffner’s in Morristown for their holiday meats.

Now, for the first time since 1945, they must find their Thanksgiving turkey somewhere else.

Health inspectors have shut down the town’s last butcher shop, citing two pages of health code violations.

“It’s the end of an era,” said Steve Hoeffner, who runs Hoeffner’s Prime Meats with his brother Marty.

Without the income from holiday sales, Steve said, the brothers probably cannot afford “astronomical” renovations to the Market Street building that has been home to Hoeffner’s for 62 years.

“They’re right in what they want done… but they’re not compassionate” about the timing, Steve said of the inspectors.

END OF AN ERA? Steve Hoeffner thinks so. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
END OF AN ERA? Steve Hoeffner thinks so. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Food establishments are inspected to ensure “a healthy environment for residents and visitors” who patronize them, said Joe Costa, Morristown’s director of code enforcement.

“This location was not targeted, by any stretch,” Costa said. “We need to inspect every location in town that sells food once a year. It’s done more or less at random.”

OF MICE AND MEN

Last week inspectors reported finding mouse droppings in six areas at Hoeffner’s, including near metal meat-cutting operations and near cutting boards in the front of the shop.

Steve Hoeffner contends the droppings actually were “sawdust”-like shavings of sliced salami.

Inspectors also said leaky ceilings and sinks need fixing, rusty refrigerator racks must be replaced, and the cracked concrete floor requires sealing.

Additionally, inspectors told the brothers that pest extermination cannot be handled in-house; professionals must be hired, along with an approved company to remove garbage and recyclables.  And assorted rusty items must be removed from the shop.

Resuming business without a re-inspection could bring fines of up to $1,000 a day.

The inspections were conducted by Stephanie Gorman,  a registered environmental health specialist from the Morris County health department, and Yen Truong, an environmental specialist for the town.

Morristown contracted with Morris County earlier this year for health services, an arrangement that Mayor Tim Dougherty said would save the town nearly $600,000 over five years.  The county also provides health services to Morris Plains and Denville.  The agreement was expected to improve the quality of municipal health services, Morristown Administrator Michael Rogers told the town council when the deal was announced.

Papier-mache decorations, like the sausage, were created on the premises at Hoeffner's. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Papier-mache decorations, like the sausage, were created on the premises at Hoeffner’s. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

PORK CHOPS AND PAPIER MÂCHÉ

Steve Hoeffner said the shop has prided itself on serving safe, top quality meats since his parents opened their first shop in town, in what is now Rios’ Engraving at the corner of Market and Maple Avenue.

Hermine and Martin Hoeffner emigrated from Germany right after World War II. At the time, Morristown had more than a dozen butcher shops, said Steve, whose papier mâché cows and turkeys decorate the display window.

“We’re not a restaurant, we’re not a major institution. We make our own sausage. We don’t do wholesale,” he said.

THE LAST BUTCHER SHOP? For Morristown, yes. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
THE LAST BUTCHER SHOP? For Morristown, yes. Steve Hoeffner says construction projects on either side of his shop have adversely affected the building. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Hoeffner’s has specialized in bratwurst, veal weisswurst, smoked and stuffed pork chops, ground-to-order hamburgers, house-cured smoked bacon, steaks, and sausage breakfast patties, among other things.

Steve Hoeffner said his clientele includes a new generation that likes to cook and enjoys the instructions that come with Hoeffner meats.

“We’ve had wonderful, loyal customers, who’ve always found a reason to come back,” he said.

hoeffner bros
HAPPIER TIMES: Steve, left, and Marty Hoeffner, in 2011, continued a family tradition at Hoeffner’s butcher shop in Morristown. Photo by Warren Bobrow

 

19 COMMENTS

  1. Steve and Marty, I was totally sorry to hear that you were forced from business. You both know I have been a customer and friend since the 50s when I worked at my parents place Struble Bros. I was planning to come to your place Monday to buy some head cheese an land jaegers. I hope the message is old and the shop is open.
    I will call Monday October 4 2016.
    My best to you both and you families
    Stan Struble

  2. Steve and bro…. I know you probably won’t be reading this but if you do, I would be happy to do an online fundraiser to get repairs done on the store. I Think people from all around the area and nyc will support independent butchers like you. We love what you do. You are great human beings. In the small interactions I had with you when coming by you taught me some life lessons. Email or call me if you want to raise the funds, you will have my hubbies mobile number (he is also called Steve) from all the orders we placed for chorizo, etc. Penny

  3. The inspectors found conditions that needed correction. If the store owner cannot afford to do the required compliance to ensure food safety then the public is at risk. Plain and simple.
    While I’m sure there are fond memories, saving us from food borne illness is more important.

  4. They let the place fall into total disarray….so in essence, they shut themselves down. When you sell raw meat, you ought to make an effort to present a clean and fresh appearance, not work from what appears to be an abandoned building. Not the inspectors fault, the buck stops with the owners.

  5. I am a professional chef and have been victim to construction around neighboring buildings numerous times. Construction causes the rodents to run finding the closest host. With professional diligence, they can be gone in a month. I remember the butcher shop well as a kid and my mom patronized it regularly being part of an Italian immigrant family. I vote, if Hoeffner’s has the energy, to stay in business. It is a tradition that is coming back and being the only butcher shop in town gives you a great advantage. Cut meat, make meat and eat meat… Slow food lives!

  6. So sad to hear this!! My parents and I and extended family have always shopped at Hoeffners. I was just there a couple of weeks ago picking up the most fantastic whole smoked ham you’ll ever have. The bacon, the smoked pork chops, stuffed chicken breasts, schnitzel… yum! Our holidays just won’t be the same without Hoeffners! Steve and Marty – Would love to see you reopen somehow, somewhere. Please keep us posted!

  7. Sad to hear about this. There should be some way to help them upgrade or keep them open for the holidays. I also have fond memories going back to 1948. The new generation kept up all the old traditions with the same good will and humor.

  8. I will always remeber the German Bologna and all Cold Cuts. My Grandfather took us there as kids in the 60s and how a visit from Uncle Vic from California was a required must stop. Also New Years dinner with a Crown Roast and that sausage stuffing . Great Memories , Good Luck to Steve & Marty and hope you can reopen a new venue or online

  9. My grandparents, Sarah and Matty Rosenhaus financially helped the Hoeffners after WWII when it was socially unacceptable to patronize German establishments in Morristown. When I was a boy, Hermine would slice me special treats. My first food memory was of Hoeffners bacon. The Butt LaFay divine, their bacon? Sublime. Heavy handed by the town. It’s all corporate food now in our town. Sad to see you go Steve and Marty. Morristown will never be the same without you.

  10. The Schlosser family will miss Steve and Marty enormously. I may never eat a hamburger again. You don’t and you will not get their kind of service anywhere else.
    Good luck guys making lemonade out of lemons.

  11. Isn’t it real estate in the area that is the problem for this. Trying to find something to close this??

  12. Steve is an excellent butcher as well as a person. I would go in a few times every Summer and he would always recommend a great cut of meat for grilling. I never saw his shop as being unhealthy in anyway. Nothing but the best to the brothers. No other will ever beat their meat!

  13. It’s a shame that they are closing. Growing up, we used to get all of our meat from Hoeffner’s ( we lived right next door). I hadn’t set foot in their store for almost 25 years, but went in over this past summer – got a killer flank steak that I marinated and cooked on the grill. Best steak I’ve ever grilled.

  14. We have been enthusiastic customers of Hoeffner’s for many years because nobody makes sausage or brats like they do. I hope enough customers call for their return – perhaps in a new location. Encore!!

  15. I am so sorry to hear this…….We just were in last week…Never in all of the years that I have gone there have I ever had a complaint…Not only did Steve help me pick something he would tell me what to serve with it and how to cook it etc…Steve always made me laugh…I will miss you…Boozer (Anne)

  16. I have very fond memories of the Hoeffners. When I was a little girl my mother used to get all her meats there and Mrs. Hoeffner would always give me a piece of bologna and I would sit on the little bench by the door eating it. My Brother also worked there for a while. Very sad to see that they are closing.

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