124 Street meat shop launches tongue-in-cheek campaign

An Edmonton food store is hosting a tongue-in-cheek fundraiser and awareness campaign.

Peter Keith, co-founder of Meuwly's, says the food retailer has had firefighters arrive at its doorstep at least 10 times in the past four years, including two days in a row last week, to investigate reports of a potential fire.

"Typically, we hear it when it's about to happen," Keith told CTV News Edmonton. "We come up and greet them on the street and say, 'Hey, you can stay in the truck. It's just smoke meats."

"They've always been very kind and patient and really not disruptive at all," he added. "They've been great. But they do have to come in and visually confirm there's no fire in the building."

In a statement to CTV News, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said firefighters have only responded to Meuwly's once in the last six months.

Located on the corner of 124 Street and 107 Avenue, Keith understands that for some in that area of Westmount, seeing smoke coming from an office-like-looking building can be a surprise.

"I think people just aren't prepared for the fact that that's smoked meat being prepared," he explained. "We don't think it's the best use of their (firefighters') time. We always feel guilty about it, but they've been really great to work with."

When smoking various types of meat and sausages, Keith said Meuwly's uses German beech wood. As the delicacies are prepared, the smoker vents large concentrated amounts of smoke for a few minutes at a time.

To help get the word out about the increasing visits firefighters have to the meat shop, Keith said the store is raising funds for Firefighter Aid Ukraine — a local charity supporting Ukrainian fire crews as the Russian invasion of that country continues.

 

 

 

 

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Every day, a new smoked meat will be featured on the lunch menu, with a portion of the sale donated to the charity.

"It's obviously a bit of a drain on the system," he said.

"We want to make sure the firefighters are ready to go when there is a real fire and not here smelling our smoked pastrami," Keith added with a laugh.