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By B.C. MANION, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2008

LUTZ - Going to church can have its rewards.

Customers who take a copy of their church bulletin on Mondays to the Butcher Block, 16319 N. Florida Ave., get a 10 percent discount.

It's a fun way to get customers into the market, said Darryl Smith, a former associate pastor who left the ministry to take a leap of faith and pursue his passion for good food and wine.

The business, which opened in June, is a combination butcher shop, wine store and gourmet foods market.

It offers a wide selection of freshly made food and is branching out for made-to-order meals people may pick up on their way home from work.

"A lot of people say, 'I don't have time to cook, but I want something fresh and hot,'" Smith said. "They can call ahead, and we'll go and sautee hot fresh fish or make chicken Marsala and pastas," he said.

The store also offers an assortment of items in its refrigerated cases that are ready to take home and pop in the oven, including twice-baked sweet potatoes, twice-baked white potatoes, stuffed peppers and mushroom caps, to mention a few.

It sells a wide selection of fresh meats and prepared foods, including lobster spread, smoked grouper, sweet potato souffle, Mandarin shrimp salad and fresh bruschetta.

It's also fun to check out the market's shelves, where Spanish caper berries, pickled crispy beans, sweet basil infused oil, rosemary-ginger spice rub and "We're Talking Serious Bone Suckin' Sauce, Hiccupin' Hot" are among the thousands of items that vie for attention.

Rosemary Beyea recently dropped by the store to do a little shopping.

She was impressed by the selection - and the prices.

"I wanted my country-style ribs, bone in, for Super Bowl," she said. "They have them, and they're beautiful - and at a great price."

She's thrilled to have an upscale market close to home.

"I'm in Land O' Lakes," she said. "We're suffering for a good market, so this is a pleasure."

Lutz resident Stephanie Brooks recently was making her second visit to the store.

"They have great wines, great meats and great little appetizers," Brooks said. "Look at those meats, they're absolutely gorgeous."

She also was impressed by the variety of gourmet products on the shelves.

"I think they'll do well," she said. "North Tampa needed another specialty market."

Jeanie Mabie of Odessa likes the selection of ready-to-serve foods.

"I like the prepared foods because I have two kids, I work full time and I travel for business," Mabie said.

The store also has a substantial wine selection, with prices beginning around $10 a bottle and topping out about $200. Most sell for $15 to $30.

When Smith opened the store last summer, he knew he was taking a gamble.

"When I started, it was just me and my wife, and we had our baby on the way," he said.

But starting new things has been the story of his life.

"The first thing I did, when I was 19 years old, I started a two-lane drive-through in Dallas, Texas, called Quickies Hamburgers. It was like Checkers," he said.

He left that business to get his degree in theology, and since then has helped to start four churches. Most recently, he was an associate pastor at Morning Star Church, which he helped to start and meets at Sickles High School.

Although he had opportunities to lead other churches, Smith said he felt called in a new direction.

"We just felt for us the Lord was saying, 'It's time to leave.' We had no idea what we were going to do," he said.

He was drawn to attending culinary school or launching a gourmet market.

He decided on the latter, patterning his store after The Butcher's Block, a venture run by his friends Stan and Scott McGowan in Sarasota. He consulted the McGowans for guidance.

Smith has built a team: Kelly Parmenter, who handles the ordering and negotiating prices, Chuck Knowles, who takes care of technology, and Sheldon Menery, who oversees the wine shop.

There are also two chefs and two meat cutters.

Smith does a little bit of everything. He cuts meat, prepares foods and sells wine.

He said he chose to locate on U.S. 41 because so many people pass by on their way home from work.

He realizes the economy is putting stress on family budgets but said it is cheaper to have a gourmet dinner at home than to dine out.

"We're trying to be very practical and meet the daily needs of people's lives," Smith said. "In times like this, you have to really think about how you're spending, so it's our goal to make it worth your stop."

Menery reminds people they don't have to spend a fortune to get a good bottle of wine.

"My general mantra, when my nonwine friends ask me, is: You don't have to spend $100 to get a good bottle of wine; you can't really spend $7. You can certainly drink wine between $20 and $30 a bottle the rest of your life and never run out of good choices."

The store has a commitment to provide quality, he said.

"If it is on the shelf, we have tasted it first. If the distributors want to sell us something, we demand they bring a sample first," Menery said.

Although there is much to know about wine, people shouldn't feel intimidated, he said.

"The first thing to learn is: Trust yourself.

"Wine is like any art. When it is good, it will have an immediate visceral impact. You'll go, 'Oh, that's good!' You don't need to be able to dissect why it is good; you can just enjoy it."

Patrons are encouraged to linger and ask questions, Menery said.

"We don't want customers. We want friends. We want our friends to shop here," he said.

"We want to cater to the person who just wants something nice to go along with their food, and we want to cater to the expert."

Those wanting to broaden their tastes may enjoy dropping by the store on a Saturday when there are usually a few bottles open to sample. The store also offers samples of smoked ribs and chicken wings, Menery said.

Or, for $15, customers can come to the store's monthly wine tasting - which features about three dozen types of wine and a spread including tenderloin, smoked salmon, homemade sausages, cheeses, fish spread and crackers.

Generally, the tastings are from 7 to 9 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month, but this month the event will be on Feb. 21 to avoid conflicting with Valentine's Day.

Those dropping by the store also are welcome to check out The Cave - a wine cellar kept at a chilly 59 degrees that can be booked for private occasions, such as dinners, wine tastings and other celebrations.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Butcher Block, 16319 N. Florida Ave., Lutz

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

INFORMATION: Call (813) 961-2910; or go to http://thebutcherblocktampa.com

Suggested Wine Pairings

With beef, especially with steak: Cabernet Sauvignon, especially the California treatment of it.

Grilled meats: California Zinfandel, the red version

Salmon: Pinot Noir, especially from Oregon, which is very much like burgundy.

Chicken: Paired with the way the chicken has been prepared. With chicken cacciatore, for instance, a Chianti; chicken with lemon sauce, a crisp sauvignon blanc.

Cheeses: Pairings should complement or contrast, and is a lot broader than other foods. You can have a lot of fun putting wine and cheese together.

Source: Sheldon Menery, wine director at the Butcher Block, 16319 N. Florida Ave., Lutz

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@tampatrib.com.

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