Just about everyone enjoys good barbecue, especially in the summer. The Duluth area has a variety of locally owned meat shops, one of the oldest being Old World Meats in the Duluth Heights area. From cheese and meat sticks to sausages and a variety of meat cuts, Old World Meats has it all.
The Wrazidlo family has been part of the meat industry in Duluth since 1951. Frank Wrazidlo came from Germany in 1928. While passing through Chicago, he had heard that northern Minnesota was similar to Germany. After settling in the Duluth area, he opened Frank’s Meats in 1951. Later, his sons opened their own shops. In 1993, Paul Wrazidlo became the third generation to work in the family business and opened Old World Meats. The current logo includes representations of each generation of the family, along with Frank’s old-fashioned truck. Several years, recessions, and construction projects later, the shop remains in business.
“I get up every day at 3:30 a.m.,” said Paul Wrazidlo, the current owner of the store. “I put people in positions where they manage more of the day-to-day part of the business, and I do more of the quality control and production.”
Wrazidlo is thriving beyond just the retail storefront. “I’m blessed to have my daughter involved in the business, too,” he said. Wrazidlo and his daughter, Nicole Fraley, are currently involved in a large nationwide distribution of their Old World Meats meat sticks. “It’s been really fun to see this explode our business,” Wrazidlo said.
The snack sticks include zero sugar, no nitrites, no gluten, and are made with 100 percent beef.
“Adaptability,” Wrazidlo explained, “that’s what keeps you alive.”
The family noticed that people were seeking out more readily available meals and meats. While summertime is a busy season in the meat market world, winters tend to be long and can be a make-or-break time. “We needed to fill those gaps. We saw more people interested in ready-to-eat items,” Wrazidlo said.
After a national vending show, the business found new direction with the snack sticks. The 12 flavors they offer are creative and fun, including Memphis barbecue, dill pickle, Philly cheese steak, habanero hot, honey barbecue, buffalo style, and bloody mary. Old World Meats meat sticks is also in the process of creating a halal beef stick (a Muslim-permissible snack).
As for the local shop, Old World Meats works with two local farms: Duluth Farming Company and Helstrom Farms. “Here’s the difference: We’re USDA inspected. We can make our own ground beef. In comparison to the other grocery-type stores, the ground beef we have is fresher and all from prime cuts of meat,” Wrazidlo said.
During the summer, the store sees an uptick in sales for ribeyes and filets. “I love the ribeye, but I’m also a big fan of our smoked beans. There’s not a whole lot of heat to them; they just have a lot of flavor,” he said.
When asked about his favorite part of the job, Wrazidlo said, “I just enjoy it so much; it’s just the old school way. And I am just absolutely thrilled to be working with my daughter.”
Old World Meats is located at 226 S. Basswood Ave. in Duluth, just off Central Entrance. Their hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. To learn more about the store and their new meat sticks, visit: owmduluth.com.
