When we decided to open The Flora Butcher, many thought we were crazy to open a premium butcher shop in a small, rural town. Looking back, it was the obvious choice with numerous benefits. Flora, Mississippi, was already undergoing a bit of a renaissance when we opened. I’d like to think our being here contributed to that rediscovery of what was named the #1 small town in Mississippi in 2016. Since its opening, The Flora Butcher, has caught the attention of local, regional and national media. Features in Mississippi Magazine, Cast Iron Cooking, Jackson Free Press, Hometown Madison, The Northside Sun, Jackson Free Press, The Clarion Ledger, WMPB Radio(NPR) and WLBT-TV News have put Chef Raines and the shop on the map. Customers have come from as far away as Illinois, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana. Restaurants in not only the Central Mississippi area, but in New Orleans, are serving Raines Wagyu. The Wagyu Beef featured at The Flora Butcher is all raised by David’s family farm. His father oversees the ranch where they have some 1,500 head on pastureland between Monroe, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi. If you’ve ever had a Commander’s Palace signature New York Strip, you’ve most likely had a Raines Farm Wagyu Steak. In March 2018 the second phase of Chef Raines’s vision took shape when he opened the ultimate farm-to-table casual dining lunch restaurant called Dave’s Triple B: The Butcher, The Baker, The Barbecue

How does buying Genuine MS products make a difference here in Mississippi?

We are authentic. Every product in this store has a personal story behind their product. We are proud to know the local farmers and support them as well. We spend time driving around looking for these local artisans. We welcome them all. We want to let our neighbors know we are out here and support the local economy. For a small Mississippi town, Flora has an enviable local culinary scene. “It’s kind of a little Mayberry.”