BY JOE SCOTCHIE
jscotchie@antonmediagroup.com
Roslyn native Justin Aronoff is glad that he stayed in his hometown. After working at the Meat House in Roslyn, he opened a store, Center Cuts with his business partner, Doug Cohen in 2014. Two years later, the store has been a pleasant success, so much so that the proprietors are branching out into the delivery business.
“We have been getting a great reception from the people in Roslyn,” Aronoff told The Roslyn News. “We are gaining new customers every day.”
When the Meat House closed, Aronoff and Cohen thought about purchasing that building on Northern Boulevard. At the same, the Prime Time butcher shop on 382 Willis Ave. also closed its doors. And so, the two decided to try their hand in business at that location.
“It had a smaller space,” Aronoff said of the Prime Time location. “It was easier to take a chance on that store.”
Staying loyal to his hometown, the hometown folks have returned the favor, helping the store become a success in the always risky world of running a small business. Expanding into the delivery business is a certain sign of the store’s growth.
“Business has grown beautifully, and to celebrate the second anniversary, Justin and Doug recently purchased a Mercedes Sprinter,” Aronoff’s mother, Gail, said. “In the past, we used to pack up our customers meats and poultry with lots of ice for a long ride out east to the Hamptons. We are now able to spare our customers the hassle, and are taking orders and delivering on Fridays and Saturdays all season long.
“Customer service has always been our number one goal and this is just another way of serving them,” Gail Aronoff added. “The truck is refrigerated and is amazing for barbecue catering and has been really helpful for office catering jobs too. Our goal is to keep the compliments coming and dazzle our customers tastebuds along the way.”
Gail Aronoff also noted some excellent reviews on Facebook, which turned out to be the case. Here are a few samples:
“Best aged rib eye on the east coast,” claimed Thomas Lisi.
“Not only is this place a fantastic butcher shop, they add things to their menu every week,” added Alex Geis. “Excellent quality and always new stuff to pick from. Make sure to get on their mailing list to get the daily list every morning.”
“We loved these guys at the Meat House, but they were destined for their own success,” posted Laura Buondelmonte. “Try and meet nicer people.”
“We have great recipes and the people have been so kind of us, spreading the word about Center Cuts to everyone in the village,” Aronoff said. “We have a nice relationship with all of our customers.”
The catering business is off to a great start, too.
“The phone rings off the book all day long,” Aronoff added, as the reporter let him go from the interview to those busy calls.
