Business partners renovating historic building, plan to open farm

HANNIBAL — Two years ago, Trevor Schultz of Wisconsin, along with his parents, purchased a long-neglected post-Civil War era building that serves as a cornerstone in Hannibal. Since that time, Trevor and his business partner, Nikki Barr, have been stabilizing the building - located at 300 Broadway - in preparation for its transformation into a business unique to Hannibal: Langhorne Meats and Provisions.

The stabilization process has been painstaking.

“(The building) was mostly used for storage by the former owners," Schultz said. "There was roof damage; water leaks onto stuff being stored on the first floor. We had three dumpsters out there last year, and then a couple of community members said they wanted some of the things in there. They cleared out some of the space.”

Next, Schultz and Barr removed the “hung tile” ceilings from the first floor, and undertook an overall cleanup. They repaired the existing water damage, “and created a water capture system on the second floor to redirect the water into the drainage systems, so that it doesn’t further damage the building itself.” They are trying to stop the decay of the building. They are working in conjunction with Martin Meyer, lead architect for Hutchinson Engineering Inc.

“While we seek and source funding,” Schultz said, “what we can do is to stabilize and keep the building in good standing, and do some superficial work to clean it up to make it street view presentable.

“It seems that when the former owner bought the building about 16 years ago, that was the end of the renovation. The utilities had been turned off for 15 years; no sign of any future for the building.”

While work on the building continues, Schultz and Barr are establishing an online business operation, which hopefully will launch this month.

“Our short term goal is to get an online beef program so we can have an outlet for these products, meat boxes, to capture and maintain local interest while we are building the rest of our brand. We will start with monthly offerings, different steaks and chops, either picked up or delivered straight to a home.”

All meat products will be purchased locally. “We are working with beef producers out of Paris and Troy, and a pig producer out of Hermann, Mo.,” Schultz said.

“I started meat cutting 15 years ago at a grocery store back home in Wisconsin,” Schultz said, while working his way through school. “I developed an interest in meat cutting and everything that goes along with it. Finding an opportunity to work in a small meat market, custom sausage making - at that meat market we had 26 varieties of fresh sausages in the meat case at all times.

“Take that influence and translate that into job at Milwaukee. Nikki and I (met while working) at a small farm-to-table market in Milwaukee, Kettle Range. I was in the back end of things, meat cutter and sausage maker; Nikki worked in marketing. She took over a satellite store in 2019, and I had taken over the back end of the business - everything that keeps the place running.

“There I was able to hone and refine more of the techniques from all previous jobs and put them into greater and more precise practice. I developed countless flavors of sausage, charcuterie, and home dry aging, which is a fun science of its own, making sure meat doesn’t spoil.

“It was a good learning experience, but after four years it was time to move on.”

They met while they were working in Milwaukee. “Nikki is from Missouri, and she has friends and family in Hannibal. Her main hurdle was convincing me to come along, which didn’t take much of an arm twisting,” Schultz said.

While working on their financial package, both Schultz and Barr are working two jobs.

In the mornings, “I work at Grassland Market in Canton with John Wood and his company; there I am a production meat cutter. I have created recipes to help move some product for them. As my primary job, I also work evenings as a meat cutter at Sam’s Club in Quincy, Ill.

“I waltzed in and got a job in Sam’s meat market.” That’s where he met John Wood. “Grasslands needed help and I was more than willing to give up my mornings.”

Barr is waiting tables at Thyme Square and a steakhouse, both in Quincy.

In their time off from work, they are hands-on in the building renovation project.

The online portion of the business will hopefully open this month.

The brick and mortar business is awaiting financing. “For instance, if we could get funding by September, it would be an eight-month turnaround time for the remodel; so it could be the spring of next year, 2024.” But because of the variables, no definite opening date is available.

“Our original projected date was 2023, but things fell through and we had to start over.

“The begging world is no longer a handshake and trust. Now the computer decides.” Shultz said.

The building was constructed in 1867. “The bones of the building are still quite well put together, holding things together. All new utilities need to come into the building, up to code, and to be able to handle the meat processing; There are greater plumbing needs when you are washing down a cutting room, everything needs to be updated to fit the building.

“This is a dream we both have and we’ve put a lot into it. friends and family have time investment. We have a personal attachment that we can’t quite get ride of,” Schultz said.

Once the renovations are complete, the front third of the building will house a retail store.

“We will encompass everyday comings and goings of customers; full service cases with fresh cuts of beef and pork and house-made sausages. Behind the service case we will have coolers and freezers.”

In the back of the building, there will be a full-scale kitchen, “a large smoker, in-house bacon, seasonal hams, anything that needs to be cooked in volume. A walk-in freezer, and a packaging system, a vacuum chamber machine.”

Windows on the east side of the building will allow customers to watch the meat cutting and packaging process.

Log In

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.