MacTowey Artisan Butcher thinks outside the box with new business

His name is Niall Towey. You may remember him from such local butcher shops as MacEwans Meats.

Now, he has set out on his own and is hard at work getting his business—MacTowey Artisan Butcher—off the ground.

The blunt Irishman definitely has the so-called gift of the gab.

During his time at MacEwans, Towey never shied away from striking up a conversation with customers and offering knowledgeable recommendations on products.

“I could have conversations with anyone,” Towey says.

“Sometimes it started with potato scones and then they'd ask me about something and then we'd end up talking about submarines or something totally off-topic. But it was that little five-, seven-, 15-minute conversation that people came back for, I think anyway.”

UK and Irish delicacies

MacEwans was beloved by many Calgarians since it opened its doors in 1985.

Specializing in haggis, black pudding, white pudding, and other UK and Irish delicacies, the shop was frequented by many expats from those countries over the years.

Towey says he enjoyed honing his industry skills while working at MacEwans from August 2018 until its permanent closure this past fall.

“I learned so much,” he says, adding he enjoys working with people who push him and make him better.

Hailing from Ballaghaderreen in the west of Ireland, Towey was in the army until 2012 and needed to find something new.

Towey loves food and cooking but he didn’t want to work in the restaurant industry, so he thought a butcher shop would be a good fit.

“I get a kick out of feeding people,” he says, adding he prioritizes taste over presentation.

From Ireland to Canada

During Towey’s early days working at a butcher shop in Ireland, he says he was criticized for his rookie butchering skills but praised for his customer service and ability to chat with patrons.

In June 2018, Towey and his partner decided to move to Canada. The pair first landed in Toronto, then made their way across the country by car, sightseeing along the way.

They settled in Calgary and have been busy putting roots down in the city—the couple has a two-year-old son and welcomed a baby daughter this past December.

“I didn't realize how difficult it would be having a family without my family,” Towey says, adding it’s been a lot to juggle and balance along with starting a new business.

Despite being far away from his extended family, Towey says he loves Calgary and hopes MacTowey Artisan Butcher will be a success.

Thinking outside the box

After MacEwans closed, Towey considered leaving butchery, but ultimately decided to continue following his passion.

A former customer suggested a commercial kitchen Towey could lease in the Eastfield industrial area, and another customer helped Towey with his logo, which incorporates the colours of the Ballaghaderreen GAA football club.

Towey opted to add Mac—which means son in Irish and Gaelic—to his business name as a nod to the owner of the butcher shop he worked for in Ireland, whose nickname was Macker.

A self-described “outside the box” thinker, Towey decided to use that as his business’ tagline, and he says he’s looking forward to trying new things and recipes as an artisan butcher.

“My hands aren’t tied anymore,” Towey says, adding owning his own business gives him freedom and creative control.

“I’ll just do it my way and we’ll see how it works.”

Expanding the menu

MacTowey Artisan Butcher officially opened in January.

Towey started with haggis, but he has been gradually adding to his menu of products.

On any given day, Towey can prepare upwards of 300 pounds of black pudding and 600 pounds of haggis—his best-sellers.

He says he works efficiently on his own but that 16- to 18-hour days are not uncommon.

“As long as I’m able to gauge how much I’m going to sell and keep it on regular stock, that's how I do it,” Towey says.

“You don't have to do as much work when you're doing the exact same thing. So when you're working on your own, you have to really prioritize that.”

Creating a community

Towey loves what he does and enjoys making genuine connections with customers, many of whom he gets to know by name.

He sees MacTowey Artisan Butcher as more of a community than a business.

“I sell nostalgia. I sell things that bring you to somewhere else or to a different time, or something to celebrate with,” he says, adding he’s grateful to his customers who have popped in and helped spread the word about his new venture.

Towey wants people to try his products and tell him what they think.

“I will always strive to be better,” he says, adding he likes experimenting and trying different cooking methods.

“I kind of base my recipes… on what I like. Macker told me ‘don't sell stuff that you wouldn't buy’, so I strive for that.”