Future of Hirsch’s Slaughterhouse in Limbo After Fire

| September 17, 2018

KOSSUTH, Pa. – Dave Hirsch, owner of Hirsch’s Meat Market, says he isn’t ready to give up, even after the fire that destroyed the business’s slaughterhouse in July.

Multiple fire departments from Clarion and Venango Counties responded to the fire at Hirsch’s Meat Market’s slaughterhouse in Ashland Township, Clarion County, during the early morning hours on July 19.

Hirsch's Market

The building, which fell in on itself and continued to smolder for hours following the blaze, was declared a complete loss.

hirschs fire

Luckily, no workers or animals were in the building at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries.

Hirsh says there are still decisions to be made about the future of the business and exactly what to rebuild once they receive the insurance money for the decimated slaughterhouse building.

“I just really don’t know yet.”

“I think I want to build another smoke place, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest. I don’t know if I can get a little bit more interest, somebody to work there, you know?”

Hirsh went on to say that finding employees willing to work the kind of jobs he would have available has become difficult.

“No one wants to work those jobs. If you can’t just run one of those things,” he said, gesturing to a cell phone, “no one wants to do it. We can’t make it without people working.”

Hirsch’s business is currently working with Thoma Meat Market, located in Saxonburg, for dealing with the slaughtering of animals, though Hirsch and his employees are still doing their own cuts of the meat provided.

Hirsch’s Meat Market is currently stocking some Thoma products, including beef sticks and other smoked products.

Hirsch's Market

“They’re almost as good as mine!” Hirsch said.

Though Hirsch isn’t certain yet about exactly what the future may hold for the business, he says he isn’t ready to turn in his butcher’s knife and apron yet.

“I’m not ready to quit.”


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