Susan and Scott Smith pose for a photo in front of their Viola storefront, Smith's Custom Deer Processing, on Feb. 11, 2016. ALEDO — Smith's Custom Meats & Deer Processing, which expanded to Viola after its humble beginnings in Sherrard, is growing again with a retail storefront in downtown Aledo.
Founders Scott and Susan Smith opened the business in 2008 after converting their three-car garage into a wild game processing facility. They outgrew it in five years, moving in 2013 to their current location, 2494 85th Ave., Viola.
"We went into processing hogs right during COVID in 2020, then we went into beef since 2021, and we are now a fully state-inspected ," Susan Smith said. In opening their storefront, the Smiths are also looking for help to run the retail side because of their busy schedules, she said. They are booked out through the rest of the year and most of next year with beef butchering.
They will still handle custom butchering of beef and locally sourced hogs at their Viola plant. The future site of Smith's Custom Meats & Deer Processing's retail store is seen in downtown Aledo last week. Their , , contains an extensive listing of all the products they currently offer and will continue to offer when the storefront opens.
Smith's Custom Meats and General Store currently doesn't have a set opening date, but Smith says they're aiming for August, open daily, at 108 North College Ave., in Aledo. Get local news delivered to your inbox! {{description}} Email notification.
