Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe

After months of disappointing meat counter, deli, and salad bar selections — and barely one year in business — YOBS has shuttered its doors. I can’t find any information about exactly what happened.

This isn’t a shop so much for your pantry staples as it is for all the great specialty products that can really jazz up a meal… especially of Detroit and Michigan flavors. In addition, they have a deli, salad bar, soups, grab & go meals, wine, and an excellent selection of Michigan beers.
It’s clean, and the décor is chic and urban. They’re friendly as can be here. The prices are a standard for what you’d expect from an upscale, specialty grocer. Open til 8 on weekdays.
(Personal sidebar — this place is like a block down from Whole Foods. WF is always packed, and while I’m not hating on them, I would sure love to see more people stop here and get some of the same products while supporting a local business instead of a chain.)

Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is another gem on Woodward that has been bringing Detroit fresh foods since 1972. Its location on Woodward is easy to access with attached parking.
On our first trip we were impressed with the amount of goods in a small space. There are gluten-​free packaged goods on the shelves, as well as, prepared foods. The meat and deli counter is full of dinner ideas.
On our first trip we walked out with two whole roasting chickens and some lunch meat. The quality of all the products was top notch.
Read more… www​.gluten​freede​troit​metro​.com/​2​0​1​3​/​0​8​/​y​e​-​o​l​d​e​-​b​u​t​c​h​e​r​-​s​h​oppe/
#glutenfree

This is a great neighborhood grocery, owned and run by locals who care about their customers. Yes, they do care and their employees care as well. Customer service is just outstanding!
As noted in other reviews, this store carries a nice selection of high-​end products, has a good hot-​food section, as well as a small deli with sandwiches and salads, a great salad/​soup bar, and they support other local merchants by purchasing baked goods from them. There is a large beer and wine selection also.
To us, being able to purchase grass-​fed beef, buffalo, and Amish chicken is a plus. And, their beef filet is the best we have found anywhere. It is less expensive than Whole Foods and the quality is much better. Honest… we just can’t get enough of that filet!
If you are looking for any special cuts of meat, just let them know. If you are looking for any special products, just let them know. We have never found such a willingness to help at any WF and we have shopped plenty of them.
This is a small grocery so don’t expect to find everything the bigger stores have. But what you will find is a great local store where you will feel comfortable shopping and where you can ask, and get, help. We LOVE this place and continue to shop several times each week. (We have nick-​named this wonderful place YOBS… it’s easier than saying Ye Old Butcher Shoppe!)

The hubs and I stopped in here on a whim today when we happened to be in the area, and we liked what we saw. I can’t say I went over this place with a fine-​tooth comb, but generally speaking the owners seems to have a pretty good concept going here. This is not, as the name might suggest, primarily a butcher shop. It is a full-​service grocer, stocking pretty much any of the food and basic household products you would need, with some specialty products, as well. There is a butcher/​deli, plus a small bakery, and a salad bar for lunch or dinner on the go (actually, I believe they do have a small patio where you could eat). As other reviewers have mentioned, it’s kind of a cross between Westborn and Holiday Market, both in size and concept.
This is a neighborhood, higher-​end grocer, so yes, you may pay slightly more for your groceries here. They don’t have a *huge* selection of any one product, but certainly enough that you should be able to find what you’re looking for. I’ve seen other reviewers complain about the selection size of certain products, but I guess you have to remember that this is more of a neighborhood corner market than it is a grocery megastore, such as Meijer or Kroger. If you do a huge bi-​weekly or monthly trip to the grocery store to stockpile supplies, this may be not be the place you would do that, but to find something in a pinch, to pick up items for lunch/​dinner, or to pick up the basics, this is a great place.
My only concern for this place is the competition with Whole Foods. If they can carve out some sort of niche for themselves, that’s probably going to help them a whole lot. It will be interesting to see how the pieces fall into place over time. Get out and support this local grocery store — in my estimation, it deserves it.

call me dumb. maybe i should have read some reviews about this place before i went, but i thought it would be a butcher shop. like for real. maybe it shouldn’t be named ye olde butcher shoppe. i was hoping to get some brisket. i was sorely disappointed. i was not impressed with the seafood/​deli/​meat part. i was expecting some variety and its smaller than a crappy grocery store’s meat department.
so, past the initial disappointment and on to the others. i guess its trying to be a upscale grocery store with «unique», «high-​end» products. fail on that regard too. the cheese section is the size of that part in 7 – 11 where they sell frozen burritos. the dairy products were close to expiring.
not worth the trip. i ended up going over to whole foods after.
love, juston

I stopped here tonight to check it out and I really like this store. It reminds me, in a strange way, of the little mom & pop grocery stores of my youth, except a lot nicer.
They have a baked goods section, tons of craft beer, good selection of organic and healthy foods and the meat counter looks stellar. I got a meat pie, brought it home and ended up devouring it; soooo good.
In a nutshell, it is very similar to WF, Holiday, etc… but with it’s own down to Earth charm.
I will probably divide my shopping between here and WF and the new Meijer for things like paper towels, etc…
**Note: I noticed no «butt cracks» here, but then again, I’m not focusing on some strange dude’s man ass. YMMV.

Ye Olde is a great neighborhood grocery store that offers a decent selection of premium quality staples at prices a bit lower than Whole Foods. They carry a bit of everything, including a deli counter and butchers shop. The produce section is a bit small, but they have all the basics.
Ye Olde also has a fairly decent hot and prepared food section including an excellent fresh fruit and salad bar.

It’s not really a butcher shop. They do sell some meats but don’t really have a facility to break down large cuts.
We bought a few salads from the deli and they were good. They carry a small selection of cheese.
The store has a lot of fun and unique food products and a bake section. The baked products are shipped in from another local bakery.
This is a grocery store not a butcher. It’s a nice grocery store but the name is a little deceiving.

I’ve been waiting to write this review because I wanted to be really, really sure. I’m the Duke of this place on Unilocal Mobile now, so that must mean I’ve been here enough to finally sit down and type out my thoughts.
Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is a high-​end grocery store. This is not the best place to pick up sundries like dog food, toilet paper, or toothpaste – then again, I don’t think they front like they’re trying to be that. What they are is in the name of the business. It’s an Olde Butcher Shoppe.
The meat counter is what truly shines here. Besides having a decent selection at decent prices (they’re not the cheapest, and they don’t have the widest variety), their true asset is the customer service. In all my visits, I have not encountered a single employee that is less that super happy and helpful – and not just behind the meat counter. The baggers, the cashiers, and the stock people are all just really cool people.
There are some odd things that can be attributed to growing pains. The aisles don’t accommodate two carts side-​by-​side. The milk doesn’t really move that fast and so you might see stuff in the fridge that expires in 6 days as opposed to two weeks at a higher-​volume store. Some of the pricing is slightly inconsistent and weird. Their «city basics» section is sparse.
But that’s all easily overlooked when you really dive into it as a great place to get actually good supplies in the inner city. If you cook a lot at home, this is a great place to come. There are all kinds of higher-​end spices, oils, and other things that are really hard to find without going way out to Royal Oak or Birmingham. They also have an extensive beer and wine selection.
As a cooking enthusiast who is marrying a chef, this is the kind of place we’ve been desperate for in Detroit. We can come here to buy the day’s supplies for the meal we’re cooking that day. When I ask for high-​fat ground beef, the butcher grinds it special for me from steak trimmings. When I ask for their suggestion on what’s good for the day, they’re honest.
They have a special focus on Michigan-​made items as well. There are lots of items from Michigan vendors and you can tell that they go out of their way to feature local stuff.
If you live in Midtown, Downtown, Woodbridge, or Corktown, this is definitely a great place to add to your rotation. Yes, we’ll still be going to Honey Bee for this and Family Dollar for that and Eastern Market for the other thing, but having Ye Olde right by the house is a fantastic and welcome addition to our shopping routine. It’s a treat to come in here and I always find something new to be delighted with.

Ooh, fancy.
Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is a nice boutique market for the Midtown area. As many others have mentioned, I wouldn’t make it a run-​in-​for-​paper-​plates type of place, but for those hard to find goods or specialty meats, beer, wine & treats — I would definitely make YOBS my first choice. However, I don’t exactly live close to it. BUT, if I did… it would be my first choice and I would try to frequent it as often as possible, nonethelesss.
It’s very pricey — but again, it’s a specialty market. Definitely, a must-​visit.

Location, location, location.
Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe is a fairly standard market just like the ones scattered throughout the suburbs. They have a meat and deli counter. Baked goods, fresh fruits, and veggies, too. The store is very clean. In most areas, this wouldn’t be such a big deal. However, businesses like this are a necessity for the resurgence of Detroit. Will you drive out of your way to shop here? Probably not. However, it will be a godsend to you if you live in the area.

YAY! I finally made it to the Ye Olde Butcher Shopppe today! I’m so excited that there is a place so close to home with a yummy selection of everything I need and love!
This store is a symbol of what’s to come for the city of Detroit. It’s a breath of fresh food and it’s so awesome to see all of the dedication from companies and individuals to give the city new life!
If you live in the area give this place a try for a grocery trip! It encourages healthful eating and freshness =-)

The suspense of this place opening has been eating away at me for the past however-​many-​years I drove by and saw the signage, yet no proof of life.
Like a previous post stated, you do not want to make this your usual biweekly store for groceries. Ok, or your ‘5-​days a week’ grocery store if you shop like I do. I won’t be purchasing tiny plastic containers of herbs for $ 4, nor will I see myself paying over $ 7/​lb for a salad bar luncheon. If you need a ‘few’ things that are normally hard to find in regular big-​box stores, and this place is convenient for you, then it has done its job.
I would like, however, for people to stop by and check it out for themselves. Detroit needs Ye Olde to succeed, but the prices may certainly drive people elsewhere, especially with Whole Foods marching in come 2013. With Eastern Market at a stone’s throw distance, I see no excuse not to give people the same purchasing ability at a reasonable cost.
Increasing organic (in a affordable way) and vegan options could bring Ye Olde to the next level.

Upscale grocery shopping that caters to a specific group. I came here last week in need of some produce and fresh fruits. Although you can find everything you need here to make meals and survive off of you probably can’t come here as your usual grocery store. It is more for occasional emergency or specific items (alcohol or fresh/​organic meats). They do have some unique items you can’t find at big grocery stores, like gelato and their fresh meats.
The store is very clean and very open. They also have a deli, salad/​soup bar, and coffee area.
Back to my experience. I do like that there is a parking lot. The produce and fruits section was a bit lacking. I like to buy a lot of veggies and fruits and well they didn’t have too much options. Also a lot of their items were kind of old. The asparagus I got was already wilt-​y and their avocados were overly ripe. The check out girl didn’t look too excited to be there. I always got a smile at Meijers.
I would probably come here if I need some fresh quality meat.

If I still lived in Mid-​town I’d be stoked about this place. Since I live in Ferndale I can’t see myself driving down just to shop here.
But it fills a much needed gap in the area. I picked up a 4 pack of Frambois and a jar of Lavender Honey. The prices were on par with Holiday Market and Westborn.
They had just opened when I visited so it will be interesting to see how the place evolves. Hopefully the impending Whole Foods won’t steal its customer base and it can survive.

Ok — this is hipster central — must wear attire is skinny jeans and a beanie, ok,
An upscale grocery store that is very cool, with a lot of overpriced but very good brand items. The produce section was way overpriced. $ 1.99 for one green pepper, yes that is true. Fresh lox and salmon. Deli, bakery and coffee, salad bar, it has it all.
But this store’s doppleganger is Faletti’s in NOPA in San Francisco, I hope someone reading this has been there… someone, maybe? They are both expensive, carry good items, but they have a niche, they are located in a very good spot (where there are no grocery stores, this fills the voids when you live in the neighborhood and can walk to it).
Which leads to me to the next point, Whole Foods is coming near this store in Midtown, a couple blocks away. I asked the clerk if they were worried, and she said «We’re not worried about Whole Foods, we don’t even consider them competition»…and that worried me.

I’ll skip the talk about how this store has finally opened. I already read the article in Crain’s, and you can, too, if you want to know why it took so long.
As a long-​time Detroiter, the grocery issue has been a problem for a long time. There are no mega-​stores like Meijer in the city limits (not yet, there will be soon). All of the Farmer Jacks and Krogers left the city a few years ago. Some were bought out and converted to Spartan stores, but many are dirty with sketchy produce and meats, plus rodent issues. Of course, there’s Eastern Market, but that’s just one day a week, and the best time to be there is before noon on a Saturday morning. When Honey Bee La Colmena in Southwest expanded in 2008, it was a revelation. Lafayette Foods in Lafayette Park and the Harbortown grocery store are decent, but lacking in a few areas. Several other stores were recently revamped using federal grants in the past few years and I admit, I haven’t checked those out yet.
Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe manages to be what many people have been wanting locally — a store where they can get some high-​end foods, some mainstream low-​cost options, good beer, coffee, baked goods, and cleaning products all in one store without the typical urban price gouging. Also, they have a salad bar! That’s really exciting for me.
The prices and selection are really a stark contrast to the venue’s previous tenant, Zuccaro’s. I walked into that store once, and never went back until now.
The amount of produce is a little disappointing, but high-​quality. If you look at it in terms of this being the store you go to for everything else, then it makes sense. Eastern Market for the produce, Ye Olde for your meats and grains and whatnot. We’ve become so accustomed to going to one big-​box store to cover all of our needs, and that can be convenient, but I’d rather go to different locations to get a big selection of each one’s specialty.
Also exciting: they have a parking lot in back! It’s small, but now you don’t have to worry about trying to find a spot on Woodward.
The staff were all very polite, too. I asked the woman at the bakery/​coffee counter how it’s been so far, and she said «it’s just been wonderful.»

«You realize we are driving INTO Detroit to get groceries. How weird is that?»
I guess it is pretty weird considering I live in Royal Oak. But I have my reasons. Most notably, my girlfriend works in the D and this grocery store is on her way home. So I can easily call her up and be like «Hey girlfriend, please purchase some white truffle oil for me on your way home.»
ANYWAY I went here mostly to assess/​verify the hype. And it mostly lived up to it. Mostly.
While I am aware that there are other grocery stores in Detroit, the location and selection of Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe send it soaring way above the sparse competition. The comparisons to Holiday are pretty accurate. They have a good selection of «high end» groceries. They even have high end pet food. I was very surprised to see that they carry Wellness brand cat food, including the Wellness Core line. That is not a brand I expect to see at any grocery store. I have to give props to them for actually carrying healthy cat food, as opposed to the poison that most supermarkets carry. The only thing they are severely lacking is a decent produce department, but they have the basics. If I lived in midtown/​downtown, this would be my go-​to grocery store.
My only other complaint is the layout of the store. I found it a little confusing. Everything was neat and tidy, but I didn’t understand why they put things where they did. For instance, why is peanut butter 50 feet away from the jelly? It’s a small complaint, but as business picks up steam it is something they are going to have to consider. I went at around 6pm on a weekday, and the parking lot was pretty full. With the Broderick tower finally opening up to tenants, I can see this place becoming a staple of the midtown/​downtown residential crowd.
Overall, I like this grocery store. I probably won’t go here much, since I don’t live or work downtown. But my girlfriend will probably be a regular customer. It’s nice that all the loft dwellers can finally answer their friends when they ask «But where are you supposed to buy groceries?»

Hell must’ve frozen over now that this place, which has been standing on the corner there for years, has finally opened. It’s like a micro-​Whole Foods… a small space that packs in a ton of marked-​up but really fine quality deli/​pantry/​wine goods. There’s some nice looking produce, a tiny espresso/​pastry corner, homemade soups, and snacks/​sweets as well. Though it’s exactly double the price of my usual source, they DO carry my favorite brand of Korean noodle soup here, which is a huge thumbs up.
The guy behind the butcher counter, who sold me some really excellent walleye and chicken, was eager to talk about the products, where they’d all come from, the quality (wild caught/​free range, and «almost totally organic» he kept saying… i’m not sure what the «almost» was implying there). They have a lot of sausage too (not made there), and would do well to add the Corridor Sausage people’s stuff to their shelves soon, cuz those sausages are really awesome and were missed.
I’d come here if I was entertaining guests and wanted to drop a little extra coin on some nice meats or treats, or pick up some beer/​wine. But this would be an occasion in itself, and not a regular pit stop for me. If this more accurately reflects the ACTUAL cost of good quality groceries these days, i’ll confess my paycheck only affords me an «almost totally actual» diet… so i’ll still be relying on Meijer’s and the local supermercados for my staples.