The following article originally appeared in the 2011 Winter-Early Spring issue of Hometown magazine.
- Business: L&L Country Meats
- Owners: Lorain Gardner and Lawrence Corbett
- Location: 5703 Holland Road, Suffolk
- Phone: 757.657.6360
The closing of the mill has obviously had a major impact on the families and the economy of our surrounding communities. But for Lorain Gardner, who worked at the mill for more than 22 years, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Years prior to the closure, Gardner had already been thinking about owning and operating a small country market, so when the announcement of the mill shutdown was made, Lorain and his first cousin, Lawrence Corbett (who also worked at the mill), pooled their severance money and opened their business’ doors—L&L Country Meats in Suffolk.
“There’s no real market like this in the area, so we always thought it would be a good idea” says Lorain. “Then when the announcement came that the mill was going to close down, we knew we had to do something and we just ran with it.”
L&L Country Meats offers homegrown produce, especially during the summer months, as well as convenience items like bread, milk, cheese and fresh local eggs. But the real highlight of the market is the meat. “We’ve got prime rib eye steaks, we grind our own hamburger and we have turkey wings and things like that. But everything else we offer is anything you can think of on a hog,” explains Lorain. “We cut our own pork chops, grind and make our own sausage and stuff our own sausage links. Plus we’ve got smoked country ham, sliced country ham, sliced country bacon, as well as jowls, chitterlings, souse, neck bones, pig feet and pig tails.”
In an article that ran in the Suffolk News-Herald shortly after the market opened, reporter Troy Cooper wrote: “L&L Country Meats on Holland Road is one of those places that offers the tastes of the country that so many Southerners crave but big chain supermarkets and superstores just can’t carry. Tubs of lard, duck sausage, smoked turkey wings and more are all part of the regular fare at the little converted gas station that has become a haven for lovers of country meats and fresh produce.”
Gardner, who also does farms in addition to running the market, generally works dawn to dusk, seven days a week, but is pleased with the notoriety the market has been gaining. “I don’t miss shift work, but I do miss the steady paycheck and the people I worked with. We knew it would take a while for the market to get established but we’ve paid for our equipment, we can pay our bills and we’ve got one full-time employee. We hope to see a return on our investment within a year’s time, which will be in April 2011.”
Gardner and Corbett have been advertising on the local Franklin radio station and passing out flyers, but for the most part, they’ve been relying on word-of-mouth to let people know they’re ready to serve. “Word of mouth is the main way people have heard about us,” says Lorain. “I know a lot of people at the credit union and a lot of people from the mill and quite a few of them have been in to see us already.”
Even though Gardner and his partner financed their venture without help from Bronco, Lorain is still proud of his credit union. He has been a member since he first started with Union Camp and his uncle, James C. Copeland, serves as the Vice Chairman on Bronco’s Board of Directors. “Bronco has always helped me when I needed them and I have never had any complaints about them at all. I usually deal with Ruth Sheffield—she used to run the Bronco office over at the mill—but I know everyone else who works there is great, too.”
Of course, we’re proud to have Lorain as a member and we’re happy to see that he is making the most of his transition to life after the mill. If you happen to be in the neighborhood and you’re looking for quality meats from a dedicated Bronco member, stop by and say hello. L&L Country Meats is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. They are closed on Sunday and all major holidays.
