Shopping today is easier than it has ever been. Just pop into one of the larger, superstores and buy everything you need in one stop. However, easier is not always better. It may be time to ask yourself just how much you lose when shopping this way.

It use to be if you needed meat you went to the butcher and if you needed fish you went to the fish market - not one aisle down, cold case to the left. While supermarkets and superstores may offer a comfortable level of convenience, they don’t deliver the way a specialty store can. The truth is, the butcher at the Meat Shoppe knows where his meat came from, what it was fed, and how it will taste with nothing more than grill flamed flavor. The staff at the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company can tell you exactly when the fish you are looking to purchase was swimming in the ocean, and the purveyor of the Wine Gallery can tell you which wine would pair best with it within your budget.

 Shopping in specialty stores delivers upon its name. Specialized service, specialized knowledge, and specialized products. If you want your car fixed you don’t take it to the mall do you? For the freshest meats and fish and someone who knows more about wine than a years’ worth of Wine Spectators - you need to be shopping specialized and locally.

John Bailey opened the Meat Shoppe in 1985 on North Rouse Avenue. Cutting quality meat since 1970, John’s intention was to deliver quality cuts and specialty items not available anywhere else. On the premise John cures, smokes, cuts, grinds, links and packs nothing but quality meat and smokes a variety of cheeses, trout and salmon.

Operating as an independent business, John has the ability to choose his packers and he chooses based on the best consistent quality available. With large chain stores and supermarkets, most often the product comes from a warehouse and the person placing the order never really knows what packer the meat came from.

The Meat Shoppe staffs four employees, not 40. All of their burger is ground chuck, ground on-site, not packaged and delivered from a warehouse. Twenty-eight varieties of homemade sausage are made in house from the highest quality 100% beef and pork and all natural casings. Buyers won’t find any ‘mystery meat products’ in these sausages and hot dogs. Six varieties of homemade jerky and six varieties of snack sticks are made in-house using the Meat Shoppe’s own spices. All curing - including Maple Sugar and Hickory Smoke - is done right on-site and packed with fabulous flavor. Everything coming from the Meat Shoppe is homemade and of the absolute highest quality producing the healthiest, most flavorful options in town.

During the holidays, the Meat Shoppe stays open late and opens on Sundays to meet customer demands. At Thanksgiving they sell all natural fresh Hutterite Turkeys and during Christmas they offer roasts, homemade hams, smoked turkeys and a number of specialty cut meats. Last year the Meat Shoppe sold 2,800 pound of rib roast, 200 homemade hams, 400 smoked turkeys, and over 450 pounds of tenderloin... all over Christmas. They must be doing something right to grace that many tables during the holidays.

The Meat Shoppe takes custom cooking orders and sells gourmet items including: Stonewall mustards, grill marinades and dipping sauces; Rice River Farms rice, and a number of grocery staples.

Unfortunately, sewer replacement construction on North Rouse is taking a toll on the Meat Shoppe. According to Bailey, the Meat Shoppe is losing close to 100 customers a week right now. Keep in mind, you can still get to the Meat Shoppe using Oak or North Rouse. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Rocky Mountain Seafood Company opened 17 years ago and after two moves and a name change, they are now located on Main Street, just west of 19th.

All fish sold at the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company is purchased from brokers and goes from ocean to display case within about 24 hours. Owned and operated by Brett and Bob Steinmann, the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company deals with brokers in Boston, Florida, New Orleans, Honolulu, and up and down the West Coast.

There are two methods for getting fish to market. Some boats go out for two weeks and come back with a lot of frozen fish that has to be thawed, then cut, then re-frozen. On the other hand there are the day boats that go out, catch the fish, cut the fish, pack it on ice and overnight it to market. Which fish would you rather put on your table.

Fish is considered fresh 8 to 16 hours after it is caught. It can stay in that state for up to two weeks if kept in whole form and cared for properly. Any given fish for sale at the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company will go from the ocean on Sunday - to auction on Monday - and the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company on Tuesday. All the while packed on ice and stored with the greatest care.

Everything sold at the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company is of the highest quality. Over a dozen varieties of fish are sold on a regular basis with another 7 or 8 items rotated throughout the month. The Catch of the Day varieties include Opah, Dover Sole, Black Cod, Marlin, Ono, Swordfish, Mahi-Mahi, and Escolar. Special orders are taken as well - if it swims in the ocean and you want to eat it, the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company will do what they can to get it.

In addition to a fresh variety of fish and custom orders, the Rocky Mountain Seafood Company carries a complete line of Asian goods - about 500 items - setting them apart from any grocery store in the Valley.

 The Rocky Mountain Seafood Company is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Now that you have purchased your meat or fish, you’ll probably want a good bottle of wine to go with your meal. The Wine Gallery is owned and operated by Greg Vilican. Opened in 1995, Greg mans the store himself Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Wine Gallery sells familiar to obscure bottles of wine from the United States and around the globe, including South Africa, France, Chile, Argentina and Spain. Greg himself is a connoisseur and has extensive knowledge of the subject. While it is his passion, it is also his business, and Greg sets out to broaden every wine drinkers palate.

Although Montana law mandates that all wine be purchased through a distributor, Greg goes out of his way to bring in new, exciting wines each month. Through the Wine Gallery Wine Club, fine wines from around the world can be enjoyed for just $25 a month. Club members receive two specially selected bottles of red and/or white wine and a recipe suitable to be paired with the wines each month. As well, the club features wine tastings, wine dinners, and wine tour information.

In addition to wine, the Wine Gallery carries hard to find spices, marinades, tapenades, cheeses and picnic items. As well, Greg features gift baskets made to order from items featured in the store. The Wine Gallery offers selections varying in price from $8 to $250. It is located on South 19th Avenue, one block South from Main Street.

The Meat Shoppe, Rocky Mountain Seafood Company, and Wine Gallery all try to keep their prices competitive - often shorting themselves a profit to keep money in your pocket. What the buyer will most often find is if the specialty store carries something similar to the supermarket it will be similar in price. When you are looking at ‘specialty’ items those prices will, of course, be a little higher.

You owe it to yourself to make the extra trip for a quality product and personalized, knowledgeable customer service. Do yourself a favor - make your next shopping experience count - try a specialty store first.

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By shopping at local, independently owned businesses you not only do yourself justice, but you do your community a favor as well. Your support funnels directly back into the community by keeping money in the community.

Big box stores are replacing smaller stores across the county and it is important to remind our citizens just how vital community-based businesses are to our community. Local businesses employ the services of other local businesses, carry locally made goods, often serve as community hubs, and support local projects, organizations and non-profits. Owned by our friends and neighbors, many local business’s advertise with the local media and at local venues.

 The Gallatin Valley Independent Business Alliance (GVIBA) was created in 2003 to help build a healthy local economy which in turn will provide better employment opportunities for its citizens and preserve a strong sense of community. For more information on GVIBA, to get involved, or become a member email info@gviba.org.