Butcher Brad McCarley .
“ In the early 2010s , there was this butcher renaissance ,” McCarley observes . “ People wanted to know where their meat was sourced . They wanted to get better products than what you can find in your typical chain grocery business . There ’ s lots of specialty things that we can do that a grocery store cannot .”
Buster ’ s Butcher offers beer , pork , poultry , duck , prepared foods , cheeses , sandwiches and more .
“ It ’ s all very intentional . We bring in farm-raised meats , so there ’ s no hormones , no antibodies ,” Josh explains .
Memphis is a big barbecue town , so Buster ’ s Butcher also sources BBQ products from the local popular restaurants . Imported foods are also in stock , including highend Italian , Japanese , and Spanish items .
“ There ’ s also a chef ’ s component to this ,” McCarley says . “ We make classic steakhouse side dishes , like lasagna and pot pie . Things that are easy for people to take home and make a meal with their cut of meat .”
“ We cure a lot of products in-house and make our own sausages ,” he adds . “ The Buster ’ s guys have let me do what I thought was best for this . It ’ s been really great .”
MAGIC LIGHT WAND
If there ’ s something connecting the Hammonds across generations beyond big personalities , it ’ s an entrepreneurial spirit . From Romulus starting one successful business before another , to Rommy dreaming big and following through , to the third generation growing the company to its current size . This also continues today with Josh ’ s Christmas wand . It ’ s a magical moment for children when they see the family Christmas tree turn on , lights suddenly aglow . The Hammond family took this even further : Josh ’ s mother would hand her grandkids a toy wand and then flick the Christmas lights on when the kids waved at the tree with the wand . In the late 2000s , this gave Josh an idea . After researching the concept for years , including several trips to China to tour potential factories , Josh launched Magic Light Wand . Using a radio receiver , the wand turns on Christmas lights when waved at the holiday tree .
Magic Light Wand sold 100,000 units between 2013−19 . This delightful toy appeared on " The View " and " The Today Show ," and was used at St . Jude Children ' s Research Hospital . Proceeds benefit St . Jude and other nonprofits , including the Make-A-Wish Foundation . “ It was fun to put my entrepreneurialism to work on this ,” Josh says . Production halted during the Covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent global shortage of computer chips . However , today , Magic Light Wand is up and running again , bringing magic and wonder into the holidays , available at MagicLightWand . com .
THE FUTURE OF BUSTER ’ S
Three generations of successful business growth is impressive enough . But will there be a fourth generation at Buster ’ s ?
“ Only three to four percent of family businesses make it to the fourth generation ,” Josh points out .
The company is certainly in position to achieve this remarkable accomplishment . Romulus Morgan Hammond V , Morgan ’ s older son , has been with the business for two years now . Morgan ’ s younger son is a senior in high school who can work for the company come summertime . What does their father think this means for the future of Buster ’ s ? “ Hopefully a bunch of growth ,” Morgan says . “ I ’ m looking forward to continuing to train them and eventually releasing my duties onto my sons as they grow into the business , as my dad did to me and Josh , and his dad did to him .”
The future of Buster ' s also relies on the future of independent retailers . Josh ' s
Head Butcher Brad McCarley
advocacy efforts in this area go back decades , serving on the board of the Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association ( TWSRA ) since 2000 , and serving on the board of the American Beverage Licenses ( ABL ) based in Washington D . C . since 2018 .
“ Our market in Tennessee has changed more in the last ten years than the 60 year before it ," Josh explains . " And for the most part , Tennessee has gotten it right , as consumers now have more outlets and choices than ever before , with winery direct shipments and wine in grocery stores . Both of these actually hurt our business , but we ’ ve embraced other changes that allow us to sell other products , including beer , mixers , food products , accessories and delivery services .
" Still ," he adds , " Tennessee and our association is at work to ensure wine and spirit retailers may not only exist , but also thrive . A strong association helps make watching our interests possible ." •
www . beveragedynamics . com Spring 2025 • Beverage Dynamics 13