Hansen Packing is opening a second retail store at 450 Landmarks Blvd. in Alton next to Old Bakery Beer Co.
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Construction is underway on the building that will host the new Hansen retail store and will likely open at the beginning of June. Beth Arrowsmith, daughter of David Hansen, will manage the new store.
“We don’t have an official date,” she said. “We just started remodeling and doing construction. We would like to have it open the first weekend of June.”
The new store will sell strictly fresh meat and incorporate a lot of the Hansen Packing and Good Buddy’s Meat Market products from the H and B hams, different flavors of kabobs, first-class chicken and seasoned pork patties. Good Buddy’s Meat Market is the retail side of the Hansen business in Jerseyville. Good Buddy’s Meat Market, currently located off Route 16 on the edge of Jerseyville, originally opened in 2007. After much success in the business, they decided to open a second location in Alton.
“We just won Grand Champion in Illinois for our hams,” Arrowsmith said. “This is ideal for us. We are thrilled to have the new location. Just knowing this all started with our grandpa years ago and seeing how far we have come through my dad and now. It is a great place for a business.”
Ideally if someone is visiting Old Bakery Beer Co. in Alton, they can stop by the meat market when they depart to get some meat to grill out, Beth said.
Arrowsmith lives in Godfrey, so this will be close to home for her.
“It will be awesome this summer for the people who are at the Farmer’s Market getting vegetables and produce to go across the street and get meat,” she said.
Beth is thankful to carry on the family tradition in the meat business.
“We are thrilled to be open for such a long time,” she said. “I love that about it. My grandpa started this in 1952 as a wholesale company, delivering to restaurants and grocery stores.”
Beth said she gets along great with Ryan, her brother.
“I also love seeing my dad every day,” she said. “He says every day he will retire one day, then he works longer most days than us. All three of us are not afraid to work hard and we get along great. I love seeing our family every day.”
Rosalie “Sissie” Hansen, Beth and Ryan’s grandmother, said she is proud of Ryan and Beth Hansen for their entrepreneurial spirit.
“I definitely expect them to be successful here in Jerseyville and their new store in Alton,” she said.
Rosalie started Hansen Packing in Jerseyville with her husband, Bill. He died in 2003 and was simply “the best,” Rosalie said.
David Hansen, their son, took over the business after his father died and Rosalie said she is equally proud of him as she is her own grandchildren for his quality work and success.
Ryan Hansen said the family will be ready for customers in Alton when it is time to open. The retail side of the business has taken off in recent years, Ryan said.
“We will be located next to Old Bakery Beer and everyone who drives by will pass our store,” he said. “This is very exciting.”
