Our History
Since 1937
Whitteker’s Meat Market was established in 1937, by Walt Whitteker, who later passed on to his son Glen Whitteker. The butcher shop has been on the main street of the small town of Williamsburg, Ontario for over 80 years. As a staple in the community, it served its people local beef, pork, chicken, fish and groceries with friendly service. (and still does!) It is currently owned by Lloyd Wells and now goes by the name Williamsburg Meat Market.
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I remember going to Whitteker Meat Market since I was 2 years old,” says current owner, Lloyd Wells. “I’d go in with my dad all the time.
Wells says, “Glen Whitteker ran it for years and years (after his father). He was a family friend.” In the fall of 2017, owner Glen Whitteker passed away at the age of 70.
The store was facing closure. The current staff, including butcher Keith Baldwin, wanted to stay on to continue to serve the community.
“I heard there were no buyers for the business at the time,” says Wells, “and I had grown up with Keith, I’ve known him for 40 years. The market was such an important part of Williamsburg, I didn’t want to see it disappear. So I decided to buy it, knowing Keith would run it”.
The butcher shop is now called, Williamsburg Meat Market. “We’ve kept a lot of the traditions that were started by Mr. Whitteker.” The woodstove and antique chairs are still there in the corner where the local boys sit around the fire and chat about the good o’ days. “There’s still a group that comes in today to chat here.” says Wells.
“There’s a seniors home just down the street. We no longer allow people to purchase meat on account, but we’ve kept a few of the seniors’ accounts open. They’ve shopped here for more than 50 or 60 years, it’s our way of saying ‘Thank you’. They each come over once a month, to settle their accounts, just like they’ve always done.”
On the wall behind the counter hang over 250 old keys with numbered tags. “People always ask about the keys on the wall.” Wells remembers, “Whitteker’s used to have individual meat lockers in the back where customers would store their meat freshly cut by Whitteker. You see, people didn’t have freezers back then. Glen used to stay open late Friday nights when The Picadilly was still playing movies just down the street. Customers would come in after the show to pick up their meat. The lockers are gone now, but we keep the keys there for nostalgia.
Lloyd Wells
Owner, Lloyd Wells, primarily works in his construction business, Wells & Son Construction Ltd., but he’s at the butcher shop regularly. He also owns the chip wagon across the street, “Lumpy’s” which provides parking for both chip-wagon and butcher-shop customers alike.
“The staff take good care of the shop and it’s customers. I’m happy to they are still here in Williamsburg,” says Wells.
“We now have smoker pellets, for our fellow grillers out there, to complement our fresh-cut variety meat packages, and of course our baked goods for customers with a sweet tooth.”
Keith Baldwin
Joy St. Denis
Our Meat & Deli
View our wide selection of local beef, chicken, pork, seafood and cold cuts.