Schepdaal's last butcher shop closes as owners retire

Schepdaal's last remaining butcher shop, Familieslagerij De Munck, is set to close its doors on June 27, marking the end of an era after 65 years in business. Owners Johan and Marleen De Munck are retiring, and no one has stepped forward to continue the family legacy.

Johan De Munck, who took over the shop from his parents in 2001, represents the third generation of the family to operate the business. His parents ran it for 25 years before him, and his grandmother was the first to establish the shop. "It's been beautiful," Johan stated, reflecting on his time running the business. He explained that neither of his two sons were interested in taking over, and the demanding nature of the work and significant investment required make it a difficult prospect for younger entrepreneurs.

The De Muncks are known for their traditional offerings, including "pensen" (blood sausage), "kipkap" (a minced meat spread), and minced meat. In recent years, their pre-cooked meatballs, prepared in the pan as they were traditionally made, became a huge hit, with demand often exceeding their capacity to produce them.

The shop also served notable customers, including local cycling star Remco Evenepoel and his parents, who frequently purchased items like spaghetti sauce. The wife of Belgian singer Willy Sommers was also a regular patron. While the shop will close, Johan confirmed he will continue using the workshop to supply meat to vzw De Poel, a care home for people with disabilities. Marleen expressed that the farewell will be emotional, acknowledging the deep connection they have with their customers and the pain of saying goodbye, but also looks forward to more personal time.

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We waren bekend om onze pensen, de kipkap en ons gehakt. En de laatste jaren waren de gebakken balletjes een enorm succes. We bakten die in de pan, zoals vroeger, en we konden de bestellingen nauwelijks volgen.