After years of raising Wagyu cattle and supplying beef to restaurants and farmers markets, Stonyrun Farms has taken another step toward bringing its products directly to customers with a retail butcher shop.
But the goal is bigger than simply giving the farm a place to sell its beef.
Located at 301 N. Lewis Road in Royersford, inside the Park Towne Plaza Shopping Center, the store combines Stonyrun Farms' Wagyu with locally sourced chicken, duck, pork, milk, eggs, cheese, coffee, and other products. It also offers customers something the owners say has largely disappeared from the modern grocery store: a relationship with the person cutting their meat.
"We want customers to lean in and to embrace the community butcher just as much as we want to be here," said John Belkot, the farm's director of production and fabrication and the shop's head butcher.
Belkot said anyone can walk in, explain what they're cooking, how many people they're feeding, and what they want to spend, then leave with a plan.
"I'm having the in-laws over, it's going to be eight of us, how can I do this on a budget?" Belkot offered as an example. "How can we eat really good, nutritious food?"
From Family Farm to Wagyu
Stonyrun Farms is operated by the Ruth family, whose agricultural roots on its current property in East Vincent Township stretch back more than a century.
Owner and CEO Loren Ruth said the farm had traditionally been a dairy operation, but the limited availability of land in the region made expanding a conventional dairy increasingly difficult. The family began investing in Wagyu cattle around 2008 and gradually developed both the breeding and beef sides of the business.
Initially, much of the operation involved selling breeding bulls and heifers. Loren's son Mitchell Ruth, who co-owns the business with his father and serves as herd manager, said the farm had only about 10 to 15 cattle when it began and has since grown to about 250.
The farm later expanded into beef sales and developed wholesale accounts with restaurants. Stonyrun now supplies beef for local spots such as J.J. Ratigan Brewing Company in Pottstown and Troubles End Brewing in Collegeville, as well as restaurants outside the region, including locations in Miami and Las Vegas.
The growing popularity of Wagyu helped drive that evolution.
"When we started, most people did not know what Wagyu was," Loren Ruth said, noting that consumer awareness has grown substantially over the past several years.
Belkot explained that Wagyu refers to Japanese cattle breeds known for their ability to produce highly marbled beef. He said Wagyu fat contains high levels of monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid, which help contribute to the beef's distinctive richness, tenderness, and flavor.
At the Royersford store, customers can choose among several levels of Wagyu, ranging from leaner Wagyu-Holstein crossbred beef to Stonyrun's more heavily marbled Keystone and Vanguard offerings.
Mitchell Ruth said the family deliberately did not want the space to feel like a high-end "jewelry store" where Wagyu was available only as an expensive special-occasion purchase.
"We want to be very accessible," he said. "You can walk in and buy London broil. You can eat tonight for less than $20. Or you can buy burgers for grilling."
The idea, he said, is to give customers options for everyday meals while still offering premium cuts.
A Whole-Animal Butcher Shop
Belkot's background has helped shape the operation.
He described himself as a barbecue enthusiast with a fine-dining background who gradually worked his way farther into the "back of the house."
Belkot said he worked in restaurants in Baltimore, including James Beard-recognized establishments, before becoming increasingly interested in butchery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began apprenticing as a butcher and eventually worked at and managed a small farm-to-table butcher shop.
That business was purchasing Wagyu from the Ruth family when Belkot approached them about potentially working together on a butcher shop of their own. Loren Ruth said the family had considered retail as a long-term possibility but didn't necessarily expect the opportunity to come when it did.
"It's kind of one of those things," he said. "When that opportunity is there, you better grab it."
Belkot takes a whole-animal approach to butchery, breaking cattle down into cuts customers may rarely encounter at a supermarket. Mitchell Ruth pointed to Santa Fe and Merlot steaks as examples of products made possible by that method.
The operation also sells Wagyu jerky and charcuterie products.
Building a Local Food Hub
While beef is the centerpiece, the shelves and cases extend well beyond Stonyrun Farms' own products.
Belkot said the business sources fresh chicken and duck from Neighbours Farmstead, along with pork raised in Lancaster County. Milk comes from Pigeon Creek Farm in East Coventry, while eggs are sourced from Spring Ridge Farm in East Vincent.
Other offerings include yogurt, cheese, and coffee from area producers, as well as tallow products derived from Stonyrun cattle and cutting boards.
Belkot said the emphasis on locally sourced products is intentional.
"It's not just a tourist destination for Wagyu," he said. "It's a community hub for local food."
That approach appears to be resonating with customers. Belkot said the business was overwhelmed with visitors during its first weekend and has since watched many of them become regulars.
The store is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Stonyrun also continues to sell at the Phoenixville Farmers Market on Saturdays and Berwyn Farmers Market on Sundays.
Grand Opening Planned for October 17
Although the butcher shop has been operating for months, Stonyrun Farms is planning a formal grand opening on Saturday, October 17, which Belkot expects will include discounts and barbecue.
The business is also continuing to expand its offerings, with Belkot discussing plans to add products such as honey and grains over time.
"This place is going to continue to just get fuller and fuller," he said.
Asked whether the butcher shop could eventually become something closer to a small grocery store, Belkot said that is essentially the plan, with produce potentially becoming the final piece.
