Rekas Butchery and Deli
images by Sybilka Storie
During the second week of opening Covington’s Rekas Butchery and Delicatessen, Ashley Nation is working furiously on orders. Co-owned with her spouse, Shelbi Nation, the store has created a buzz. Inside, shelves await additional products from Italy, goods from local suppliers, and other grocery items. “We’re making sure we're feeding the community with high quality products,” Shelbi says.
The two met 10 years ago in Cincinnati. Shelbi has worked in a variety of restaurants, including one owned by her parents; Ashley has a background in mental health. After three years of owning Wyoming Meat Market, they wanted to pay homage to their ancestors. Rekas (Ree-kas) honors Shelbi’s great-grandmother, an Italian immigrant who worked as a chef at a Texas steakhouse years ago.
Rekas focuses on whole-animal butchery, especially beef, and also sells salmon, cod, and caviar. The refrigerated section includes fresh pastas, chicken cutlets, Cornish hens, whole ducks, lamb shanks, and spatchcocked chicken. Sandwiches are piled high on breads from Allez, Sweetwater Baking Company, and Wyoming Pastry Shop and finished with a refreshing vinaigrette.
Still, Shelbi says, “beef is our specialty. I’m excited about collaborating with a farmer on an 11-year-old Wagyu grass-fed cow. With our whole-animal approach, we can control the quality and costs, use the trimmings for roast beef, grill outs, meatloaf, and chilis.”
Female owners and staffers are uncommon at a butcher shop, but Shelbi says, “the females just happened.” Meanwhile, she is training two butchery apprentices. “Much of our growth has been organic. Now, we’re taking time to focus,” she says. They plan to add a natural wine program, THC seltzers, and more farm connections. “I’m excited to be working directly with farmers, to supply the community and find out what their needs are."
Rekas Butchery and Delicatessen
401 Scott St.
Covington KY
phone: 859-415-0091
No. 58 / Notable
This article was originally published in a past issue of Edible Ohio Valley magazine. Subscribe to be the first to read each issue or order back copies while supplies last.
Annette is a writer, teacher, and author of two memoirs, I’ll Be in the Car and I’ll Have Some of Yours. She is a second-generation Italian-American with roots in Calabria and Abruzzo. As a resident of Over-the-Rhine, she’s lucky enough to walk to Findlay Market twice in a day whenever she forgets an ingredient. Visit annettejwick.com to learn more.
