Wheat Ridge Poultry & Meats, a local institution since 1942, has been ordered to close its doors indefinitely due to a storm of financial issues and personal misfortune. The shop’s future now hinges on the owner’s payment of years of owed taxes back to the city.
For many locals, the butcher shop at 5650 W. 29th Avenue is a staple of the Wheat Ridge community. The business has donated tens of tons of food to local pantries, provided over 500 holiday meals to those in need, and supplied wild game scraps to animal sanctuaries. It was the first business in Wheat Ridge to open a community fridge, and has built a loyal customer base through high-quality offerings and friendly service. “Wheat Ridge Poultry and Meats was there for us during the pandemic, and is more than a butcher, it is part of the community,” one resident wrote on the Wheat Ridge Poultry & Meats website.
But behind the scenes, financial troubles have been building for years…