A New Hampshire couple who invested their entire savings into opening a butcher shop last year were in danger of closing their doors until a social media post transformed their business. Dave and Lindsey Houde, co-owners of Old Boy’s Butcher Shop in Merrimack, worked at Market Basket for decades before pooling their retirement funds to open their own store last June. Their goal was to sell the best quality meat at the lowest possible price. A few months after opening, the couple was in danger of closing their doors permanently due to financial struggles. “I thought we were going to have to close the store because we were really short on funds and we were just not going to be able to continue doing the business that we were doing,” Lindsey Houde said. calling it an act of desperation, she took to social media, asking the Facebook community for suggestions on what she could do differently. After the article was published in early January, Old Boy’s Butcher Shop’s revenue increased eightfold. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play<"Tout le monde a dit que nous y serions demain, que nous y serions ce soir, et nous sommes l'un de ceux qui ont dit que nous serions là le week-end prochain, alors nous y sommes", a déclaré en premier- Brianna Mcbee, cliente de longue date, "La qualité à elle seule vaut le petit supplément que vous payez et le fait de pouvoir aider une petite entreprise", a déclaré un autre client pour la première fois, James Ferry. Malgré l'augmentation des ventes, les Houdes ont déclaré ils reconnaissent que les petites entreprises locales sont en difficulté, ils sont donc reconnaissants de recevoir une « part principale » du dollar de la communauté. >> Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel << “We can't even express it and put into words how we feel because it's incredible. » Lindsey Houde said. Since this post, the couple has had to close their doors early several times due to a lack of inventory to meet demand. The Houdes said they plan to change their strategy to go with where the community takes them. “We just love people,” Dave Houde said. "We're in the people business, that's what retail is. You have to respond to what the customer wants." They ask customers to be patient as they navigate the changes.
A New Hampshire couple who invested their entire savings into opening a butcher shop last year faced the risk of closing their doors until a social media post turned their business around.
Dave and Lindsey Houde, co-owners of Old Boy’s Butcher Shop in Merrimack, worked at Market Basket for decades before pooling their retirement funds to open their own store last June.
Their goal was to sell the highest quality meat at the lowest possible price.
A few months after opening, the couple was in danger of closing permanently due to financial difficulties.
“I thought we were going to have to close the store because we were really short on funds and we were just not going to be able to continue doing the business that we were doing,” Lindsey Houde said.
In what Lindsey calls an act of desperation, she took to social media, asking the Facebook community for suggestions on what she could do differently.
After the article was published in early January, Old Boy’s Butcher Shop’s revenue increased eightfold.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <
“Everyone said we’d be there tomorrow, we’d be there tonight, and we’re one of the ones that said we’d be there next weekend, so here we are,” said Brianna Mcbee, new client. .
“The quality alone is worth the little extra you pay, and being able to help a small business,” said another first-time customer, James Ferry.
Despite the increase in sales, the Houdes said they recognized that local small businesses were struggling, so they were grateful to get a “sweet spot” of the community dollar.
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“We can’t even express it and put into words how we feel because it’s unbelievable,” Lindsey Houde said.
Since the post, the couple has had to close several times early due to lack of inventory to meet demand. The Houdes said they plan to change their strategy to go where the community takes them.
“We just love people,” Dave Houde said. “We’re in the people business, that’s what retail is. You have to respond to what the customer wants.”
They ask customers to be patient as they navigate the changes.