Sano Meat & Deli, who opened their newest location in August of last year, continues to provide Russell and surrounding counties with fresh locally raised, processed and packaged beef and pork.

The newest location at 3171 S. Hwy 127 across from the Peddlers Mall and Wallet Smart in Russell Springs offers a deli, fish, shrimp, chicken, cheeses, spices and sauces, according to Sheila Whittle, the wife of the business' owner and operator, David Whittle.

Whittle has also run Sano Meat Processing in Adair County for eight years and has been in the meat business for a long time.

Many may remember David's father and mother, Nolen and Jean, who operated Nolan's Market on Main St. in Russell Springs for more than 40 years.

"He learned to butcher from his dad," Sheila said. "He does all the butchering and processing in Columbia."

Business has picked up at the new location but is busier during the first portion of the month and then trails off toward the end of the month before picking back up again.

"The beef and the hogs are locally raised," she said. "He also sells them if people want to purchase hogs or beef by the quarter, half or whole."

The meat is antibiotic and hormone free and contains no additives, she added. Beef goes for $1.15 per pound live weight and hogs for 70 cents per pound live weight.

The chicken and seafood comes from a distributor in Georgia. Catfish, Tilapia, shrimp, Salmon and frog legs are some of the ready-to-buy seafood items while other types can be special ordered if they're given advance notice.

In the past they've specially ordered Calamari and Monkfish, among others.

The store also offers a quick and easy section with selections of whole chicken breast nuggets, French fries, onion rings, hush puppies and hot wings offered. Specialty items consisting of smoked pork chops and ribs as well as smoked ham are also offered.

"If you'll give us a little bit of notice we'll try and accommodate you any way we can," she said.

Numerous deep freezes line the stores walls and when customers come in Whittle tells them to act like they were at home when shopping as they could pick and choose where and what they purchase.

"Everything is marked as what it is and how much it is," she said. "You just pick out what you want. Everything is vacuum sealed as well to stay fresh longer."

The deli portion of the store has also become a big hit among regulars as have taken a liking to the various choices of cold cuts, cheeses and sauces to go along with chips, drinks and candy bars the business offers.

With warmer weather upon us and summer time right around the corner, Sheila said she was hoping for a busy summer due to tourists and lake traffic as well as local folks bringing the grill back out. This will be the first full summer in the Hwy 127 location.

The Whittles also have many out of town customers from places like Columbia, Monticello, Liberty and Somerset and the new location helps to accommodate those folks as well. David also does custom work as well at the processing facility in Sano where he processes deer, elk, buffalo, goats, sheep, hogs or beef.

"He enjoys cutting meat and is really good at it," she said. "You can take a perfectly raised animal with high quality beef and if you don't know how to cut it right, you'll ruin it in a hurry … you have to know what you're doing."

Sano Meat & Deli opens each day at 9 a.m. and closes at 5:30 p.m. every day except for Thursday when they close at 4 p.m. The business is closed on Sunday. The meat processing facility opens Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The Sano Meat & Deli can be reached at 270-866-9779 and offers a convenient drive-thru while the meat processing facility can be reaches at 270-384-6068.