The Cut Butchery Opens Its Doors

Alexandria, VA – When The Cut Butchery owner Alex Kilroy opened his doors for the very first time on Valentine’s Day, about a dozen shoppers were waiting patiently in the cold. The crowd remained steady throughout the day, oohing and aahing over the steaks, poultry, seafood, cheese, fresh produce, and dry goods. 

On Friday, February 21, representatives from the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce performed the official Grand Opening and ribbon cutting. Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck joined Chamber President Holly Dougherty and other Chamber directors to celebrate the grand opening of Hollin Hall’s newest small business.

“I’ve been so excited, all my neighbors have, for a real butcher shop!” said shopper Sonia Cortez. Her friend Nancy Cefalo agreed and said, “You can tell the high quality of the meat just by looking at it.” Julie and Vik Gupta were thrilled to see what was on hand. “This is amazing and a great addition to Hollin Hall. We weren’t expecting cheeses, sausage, veggies – just fantastic.”

This was music to Kilroy’s ears. From his earliest days of planning for The Cut, Kilroy sought to create a fantastic customer experience. He knew he wanted an authentic butchery with an Old World, European feel. “We have a very close community here – it feels like Main Street. I wanted something that would meet the needs of the neighborhood.”

How it all began

Kilroy visited dozens of butchers and made notes on every aspect, including parking, shopping, selection, display, quality, sourcing, and packaging. These visits informed his vision, and he honed in on the best practices for his new shop. 

Kilroy said, “It became pretty clear what my mission was: convenient, quality, affordable, local.” All of his suppliers are local, not only his purveyors and farmers but also his architect and construction company, mural artist, logo designer, general counsel, and marketing and promotions teams.

As a former business consultant and HR professional, Kilroy knew he needed to surround himself with the best, smartest people he could find to fill all the roles needed in an enterprise like this. Alexandria artist Patrick Kirwin, who Kilroy hired to paint the 50-foot mural in the shop, said that’s why it was a pleasure to work with him. “It’s rare to work with someone who hires professionals and then actually listens to them.”

Everything is by design

The shop has been designed with straight lines for accepting deliveries and moving them directly to the cooler or freezer. This efficient conveyance keeps points of contact to a minimum, which means fresher and cleaner products for customers. 

When outfitting the kitchen, Kilroy and his team went big on the freezers, coolers, range, and oven so they could expand to offer prepared food as well as fresh cuts. The goal is to stay nimble and flexible to cater to customers’ preferences. 

Transparency is key. Customers can see the kitchen staff working at three different cutting station windows. The Cut adheres to a no-waste philosophy. Kilroy said, “We’ll have in-house stocks, tallow, soups, and more, using every bit of our products with as little waste as possible.”

Eventually, Kilroy wants to add an education component with classes on meat-cutting, knife skills, sausage-making, wine pairings, cheese selection, and more. 

Customer service is key to success

For now, the focus is on customer feedback, a key aspect of his business model. Customers are encouraged to fill out comment cards (also available on the website, www.thecutbutchery.com). Kilroy wants to crowdsource what’s working and not working, and to learn what he can change or improve. 

On Opening Day, customer Tom Shoemaker was admiring the aged beef and thought it looked “just like you get in fine restaurants.” He continued, “This is a wonderful addition to this neighborhood. To have this level of quality of meat, fish, and these other ingredients. I’m looking forward to being a patron.”

Doug Kuhn came into the new shop looking to make a pot roast. “I love a good steak and good sausage. This is just what we needed.” Jon Drapalik was shopping with his mother, Bev. “This has a great local feel – there’s nothing like this nearby. And I love the mural.” Bev agreed. “There’s a lot more variety than I expected. I predict he’s going to do very well.”

Visit The Cut Butchery at 7968B Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center, or call (571) 347-7775. The shop is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm. Check out the website at https://thecutbutchery.com/ for a list of farms and partners. Fill out the contact form online or in-store for questions, special orders, or any other inquiries. They want to hear from you.

https://thezebra.org/2025/01/14/alexandria-artist-adds-signature-flair-to-new-hollin-hall-butchery/