Friday, May 3, 2024
The main focus is Black Angus premium beef, but the store also carries a wide inventory of dairy and hard to find gourmet and artisanal culinary products. Photo by Steve Pettit
Judy McFarlin and Richard Potts examine a prime T-bone steak. All beef is from Angus cattle bred and raised on a ranch in Flat and Leon Junction. “They’re grain and grass fed,” McFarlin said, “and hormone and antibiotic-free.” Photo by Steve Pettit
Beef that’s USDA inspected, aged 21 days and available as steaks, short ribs, brisket, ground beef and other offerings are the hallmark of Leon River Premium Beef, located on South Highway 36. Photo by Steve Pettit
Judy McFarlin, retail manager at Leon River Premium Beef, poses with a bottle of balsamic vinegar. In addition to choice and prime cuts of beef, the store stocks herbs, spices, cheeses, sausage and other premium food items. Photo by Steve Pettit
A local ranching heritage that spans five generations forms the foundation for Jim Clawson’s Fort Gates business, Leon River Premium Beef.
“We have a deep connection to the land,” he stated, "as well as to the people and communities that live off it.” That connection is evident to customers seeking a farm-to-table experience for their family.
Judy McFarlin is retail manager for the store and she comes by her expertise in all things beef naturally. Her husband Jamie manages the Clawson ranch, a sprawling “self-sufficient” spread that covers land in Flat and Leon Junction. It’s a place that embodies, according to Clawson, “ethical and humane ranching practices.”
But what most first-time visitors to the store (once the home of Dyer’s Restaurant and a bevy of ill-fated ventures, including a major fire) notice is the unexpected delight of its clean-as-can-be, well-decorated and upscale ambiance. Think Fredericksburg and Marfa.
McFarlin confirmed the sorry state of the premises prior to the store’s arrival. “It was a dump,” she said flatly. “Yellow ceilings and everything a mess.” The renovations were completed and Leon River Premium Beef launched in mid-February 2022. Today the thought, design and complete re-do have paid dividends.
“Our main focus is our beef,” McFarlin explained. “Our cattle are bred here, we raise them, they're grass and grain fed and they're butchered in Westphalia at Texas Natural Meats.” There’s nothing less than USDA-inspected choice or prime beef at the store and it’s aged 21 days. “It’s all 100% black angus, too,” she added.
Shelves are packed with gourmet olive oil and vinegar. “That’s 100% pure olive oil,” McFarlin emphasized, “and we only stock balsamic vinegar.” She commented that the store’s olive oil and vinegar sales have been “phenomenal” and that the best-selling beef products are rib-eyes and T-bones, both offered in choice or prime. Some less well-known cuts have proven popular. “Our Denver cut steaks have taken off like fire,” she said. Tri-tip and picanha (top of the rump) are also steady sellers and for hamburger aficionados Leon River Premium Beef offers 85/15 ground beef.
Plans include a completed kitchen and sandwiches for sale. A large, finished room with stools and a counter is vacant for now, awaiting its repurposing as a wine and cheese bar, McFarlin said. “Prepared foods and side dishes — things can change, but we’re doing well with meat and cheese trays now."
Volleman’s Family Farm dairy products and Jean’s ice cream complement the meat inventory. “Jean’s has some gourmet flavors you may not have tried,” McFarlin offered, and other products range from Olivelle’s highest quality traditional and infused balsamic vinegars and spice blends, to herbs, spices, pepper jelly, cheeses, sausages and other must-haves for foodies. SNAP and EBT customers are welcome, McFarlin noted, and Clawson reaffirmed his commitment to his customers.
“We strive to deliver the highest quality farm-to-table beef,” he stated. "It’s hormone and antibiotic free, and affordable.”
