Haberfield butcher celebrates his shops 100th birthday

Is there any better way to celebrate a 100th birthday than with a massive sausage sizzle?

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IN the 15 years he’s been selling meat to residents of Haberfield, butcher Mario Pennisi has seen a lot of changes.

Families have become smaller, people now eat out more frequently and when they do buy meat, it is more likely to have come from a supermarket.

However, on the plus side, a lot of “foodies” reside in Haberfield and those customers are more selective about their meat cuts and gourmet food.

Mario Pennisi at his Haberfield's butcher shop which is celebrating it's 100 year anniversary. Picture: Craig Wilson

“Butchers are now becoming a minority, especially in shopping centres where there used to up to four to choose from,” Mr Pennisi said.

“But in other ways we have expanded.

“For ­instance, we now supply to trade to cafes and restaurants.”

The historic building was originally built for a butcher back in 1915. Picture: Craig Wilson

When he bought the Waratah St shop 15 years ago, the previous butcher had left the historic building empty.

“I brought it back to life,” Mr Pennisi said.

Now, he’s about to celebrate the old butcher shop’s 100-year birthday, with a Saturday sausage sizzle.

“The old building was ­actually custom made to be a butcher’s shop,” Mr Pennisi said.

“It was built in 1915, obviously they didn’t have fridges then, so the meat was hung in the cool room and there was sawdust on the floor.”

The celebratory sausage sizzle will be run next Saturday with a gold coin donation to a charity — ring 9798 3646 for details.