Key Results

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• Steady recurring revenue, consistently selling at subscription capacity
• Expanded reach beyond Fulton Market to neighborhoods and suburbs previously out of range
• Major holiday sales increase, including a significant jump in Thanksgiving packages year-over-year through easier ordering and delivery

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A butcher shop born from overflow

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About 15 years ago, when The Publican opened as Paul Kahan's groundbreaking beer hall on Fulton Market, the restaurant was producing everything in-house - butchering whole animals, crafting sausages and charcuterie, doing all the things restaurants don't normally do. Naturally, they started running out of room pretty quickly. So when the space right across the street became available, they took it.

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That's how Publican Quality Meats came to be: initially as a commissary for The Publican, but also as a butcher shop with a dining room, a private event space, and eventually the catering arm of the entire operation. Over the past 12 years, PQM has grown into its own identity while maintaining its commitment to whole-animal butchery and exceptional quality.

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Rob Leavitt, the head butcher who's been at PQM for nearly five years, describes it as the best job he's ever had. "I get to make all this wonderful stuff, and I work with a great group of people and a really great company," he says. For Rob, who spent years as both a chef and a butcher before landing at PQM, it's the rare opportunity to do both-with the creative freedom and support to make the shop his own.

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The neighborhood problem

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Fulton Market is a bustling neighborhood, and people love what PQM does. But love doesn't always translate to accessibility. For guests living in distant Chicago neighborhoods or out in the suburbs, making the trek into the city wasn't always feasible - especially for regular shopping.

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"It's not always the most easy to access, especially if you live in some of the further neighborhoods or if you live out in some of the suburbs," Rob explains. The shop had loyal customers and incredible products, but they were limited by the realities of geography.

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Beyond access, there was the deeper challenge of helping people understand what makes PQM different. Rob wanted guests to experience the quality and care that goes into every cut, every sausage, every piece of charcuterie - but how do you build that relationship when someone only visits once or twice a year?

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Building the weekly ritual

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Working with Table22, PQM launched a monthly butcher box subscription designed not just to deliver meat, but to become part of families' weekly routines. Each box is thoughtfully curated with a mix of ingredients that work together: premium cuts for weekend projects, sliced deli meats for school lunches, sausages for Game Day with friends.

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"I don't want it to be like a big meat party in a box," Rob says. "I want it to feel like, here's a week's worth of fun things to do." He thinks about his own family when planning each box - what would his wife like to make? What would make a great school lunch for his daughter? What would be a fun weekend project for someone like him, who loves to cook?

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The boxes always include recipe cards and a personal letter from Rob explaining what's inside, why he chose it, and how everything works together. They become an opportunity to elevate what could be transactional business into a meaningful and lasting guest connection.

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"We try and make it less like a transaction, more like something personal."

- Rob Leavitt, Head Butcher, Publican Quality Meats

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Table22 handles all the logistics - billing, customer service, delivery coordination and execution - allowing Rob and his team to focus entirely on sourcing exceptional ingredients and crafting each month's experience.

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More than meat: it's membership

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The butcher boxes hit capacity consistently, with steady subscriber numbers and strong retention. But even more surprising to Rob than the revenue was the feedback from his guests.

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"The best surprise is that we get really nice feedback from people," he shares. Subscribers post on social media about "butcher box time," carefully arranging their ingredients for Instagram photos, or sharing images of themselves following the recipe cards. "It's always like an event, you know, it's like we got our box and this weekend we're going to open a bottle of wine and we're going to cook some steaks."

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The subscription has also driven growth in add-ons. Sales of Quality Bread (from PQM's in-house bakery) have increased, as have wine purchases. Members often opt to include a bottle, creating one more in-house touchpoint.

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The membership platform also proved significant value during the holidays - PQM ran their entire Thanksgiving program through Table22, resulting in a major increase in both turkey and full meal sales compared to the previous year. The easier ordering process combined with delivery options meant people who wanted PQM quality but didn't have time to come into the city could still get what they needed.

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"The number of turkeys and Thanksgiving packages we sold this year over last year was a big increase. I think it's because the ordering platform is easier for guests. But it was also because of the delivery option."

- Rob Leavitt, Head Butcher, Publican Quality Meats

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The boxes have become a gateway, and begun to flip the script: further-flung subscribers who receive monthly deliveries will now make the trip into the city for major holidays. Already familiar now with the quality they'll get, PQM becomes their shopping destination for a celebration.

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The partnership difference

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For Rob, the relationship with Table22 has been defined by responsiveness and genuine partnership. "Everyone on the back end of Table22 seems like they're genuinely interested in making this as smooth and easy as possible," he notes. When the rare issue comes up - a box going with the wrong driver, something missing from an order - the response is immediate.

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"I have somebody on the phone with me immediately. It doesn't matter what time of day or what day of the week," Rob says. "They're doing what they can to resolve it because it feels like they take it very personally."

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The platform itself has been refreshingly flexible. Unlike other systems that operate as "here's the form, this is how we do things," Table22 approaches each partner as unique. "Tell us what you need to make it work for your specific business," Rob recalls them saying. "It feels like they recognize that we are not like everybody else."

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"It's very much like, this is the template. This is how we set this up. But then tell us what you need to make it work for your specific business."

- Rob Leavitt, Head Butcher, Publican Quality Meats

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After several months of boxes, the program has become seamlessly integrated into PQM's operations. "It doesn't feel like a burden. It doesn't feel like, oh, there's a thing we have to do again," Rob explains. "It's just like, this week we have to make this, this, this and this. And part of that is Table22."

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The next box

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Rob continues to think about how to evolve the subscription and use the platform for other occasions, like Memorial Day packages, 4th of July offerings, and ongoing holiday specials. And whether it's a rare breed pig from a special farm or a seasonal ingredient that tells a story, he views each box as an opportunity to share something new.

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The goal remains the same: make butcher shop quality accessible, turn shopping into an experience, and help families build weekly rituals around great food. With Table22 handling the infrastructure, Rob can focus on what he does best: sourcing, butchering, and sharing his passion for exceptional meat with people who might never have walked through the doors on Fulton Market.

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"It's not just meant to be a box full of meat," Rob reflects. "It's meant to be an experience that lasts a week and something for them to look forward to the next month, and the next month, and the next month."