Around Town - March/April 2009
Walking in The Footprints of Back of the Yards.
By Shoshi Mabina
Chicago has been providing the best meat selections since the rise and dominance of the Union Stock Yards which was located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood for 106 years. Today you will find George Vaughn of Ranch House Meats providing Chicago commercial and residential consumers fine quality meat at the Back of the Yards 4100 S. Ashland Swap-O-Rama market every weekend. Through out the week he renders direct client services of a wide selection of steaks, pork, poultry, fish and seafood to households, event planners, business owners and restaurants through out Northern Illinois.
The Yards gained Chicago the reputation as being “Hog Butcher to the World” and was the center of the American meat packing industry, in which more meat was processed in Chicago than in any other place in the world due to the westward expansion of the railroad system, closure of the north-south Mississippi River trade routes during the Civil War and small stockyards unable to handle the mass arrival of meatpackers and livestock to Chicago.
The Yards’ era marks a significant period in the city’s economic and social history. Meat selling in the The Yard started on December 25, 1865 after six months of construction and closed at midnight on July 30, 1971.
Thirty years later, the decentralization of the packing industry provided Vaughn the opportunity to enter the meat distribution business. He began as a meat salesman for Steakhouse Quality Meats in 2001 and with the help of his then wife, Cheryl, in six years he gained several connections to launch his business attempt as a sole proprietor when buying the distribution rights from Ranch House Quality Meats for the Chicagoland area.
“I like talking with people. It is fun and exciting. The other thing, is getting a chance to see the kids of my customers grow up over the years,” said Vaughn. Vaughn’s philosophy of “boutique style” service is the fundamental basis of his business, which has landed him contracts that are loyal, not only for the virtue of his products, but for his customer service.
“George refused to settle with accepting his circumstances of growing up in a dilapidated area [of Chicago]. I baptized him and been knowing him all his life. He is honest, dependable and a hard worker who does not know how to stop working,” said Rev. Dr. George Hunter former pastor of Vaughn’s church home Union Tabernacle Baptist Church.
His source of honor stems from his exceptional grandmother, the late Mattie Vaughn, as being the most influential person in his life. “I know George when his Grandmother would bring him to church as a little boy. My mother and his grandmother were good friends,” said St. Clair Jordon, retired U.S. Post Office employee. She continued to say, “I have been buying from George for years now. It is unbelievable how good all of the products are. I like that it is pure meat, with no waste. The thing I like about getting meat from George is that people don’t have to go to the store, seeing that he brings it to you.”
Vaughn has been an active member of the Church Trustee Board for several years and currently serves as Chairman. Under his leadership he has helped the church building undergo a much needed refurbishing, including new carpeting, roof and structural repairs to both the kitchen and bathrooms.
Jeff Sweeten, of Matthews Roofing, met Vaughn after being hired to repair the church roof. “He is hands on with helping getting the church together. He is a hard worker and was helpful with repairs around the church.” In addition to being impressed with Vaughn’s work ethic he is also impressed with the degree of meat excellence Vaughn supplies, bringing him to treat his staff with gifts of meat during the holidays, including surf and turf company parties.
Vaughn’s skills and ability to connect with people were first shaped as a car salesman. He was very successful, having received several salesmanship awards during his tenure as a car salesman. “I met George when he was buying a car from me a little over 15 years ago. He joined me at the dealership after I asked him one day if he ever thought about selling cars. I trained him on the ethics of a good salesman,” said Rev. Marion T. Wise current pastor of Union Tabernacle Baptist Church.
“He is a good fella and his meat is good. You can taste the difference,” said Millie Roberts whose children have been friends with Vaughn since they were all kids. Roberts cooks her selections to make delectable Haitian dishes that everyone takes note of the taste of the meat quality.
As a humanitarian, he promotes human welfare with charitable gifts to church members every three months by giving meat away. He teaches both his children, Tyler, 15, and Jasmine, 10, the same respect for people.
Find George Vaughn at Swap-O-Rama market between 7:30AM – 5PM, Saturday & Sunday. Take 39th St. (Pershing Rd.) west, turn left on Ashland Ave. heading south and find 4100 S. Ashland on the SW corner on the right side of the street.
By Shoshi Mabina
The People’s Club of Nigeria was founded by Nigerians who are impelled by the desire to foster good relations amongst mankind and to sponsor and promote charitable and philanthropic causes. The club is a social organization whose goals and objectives are to promote recreational and social facilities, activities for, and understanding among its members in particular and the public in general;to provide and establish social welfare and entertainment centers and institutions for the members in particular and the community in general; to provide members with benefits where necessary such as assistance and relief in sickness, accident, disablement and distress, to make periodic contributions for the advancement and promotion of charitable or benevolent activities and organizations; to affiliate or co-operate with other Social Clubs having similar aims and objects as People’s Club of Nigeria; to create and encourage the creation of any endowment fund and to raise funds either by borrowing or by fund raising activities within the limits permitted by law for the purpose of carrying out all or any of the above mentioned objects.
