H&M Custom Meat reopens in Creston

CRESTON - After months of searching for a facility, Howard and Mia Lawson have officially reopened Crestoon H&M Custom Meat LLC, welcoming customers who patiently awaited their return.

Located on Redwine Canyon Road, the Lawsons are eager to return to business.

"We are open. Have been since the first of November," Howard Lawson said. "We are really blessed that some of our previous customers said, 'We'll wait.'"

The business, inspected by the USDA, specializes in custom meat processing, including beef, hogs, and game such as moose, elk, and deer. They also handle more uncommon requests, including emus and llamas, with buffalo processing on the horizon.

Their cutting and wrapping services are priced at $0.95 per pound, except for game, which has a minimum of $1.50 per pound.

However, they do not process fowl, rabbits, or raccoons.

"We try to assist customers who want to buy a hog or beef by helping them find sellers," Lawson said. "We'll connect them with someone who has what they're looking for."

The reopening follows nearly a year of effort by the Lawsons to establish a new facility on their property after an extensive search for an affordable location.

"My wife said, 'Let's build it right here,' so we did," Lawson said. "We built every inch of it-most of it by ourselves. It took about 10 months, but now we just walk across the driveway to go to work."

The new shop is located just a few feet from the Lawson home, which, according to the Lawsons, if they take a vacation day, they tease that they have to leave sooner rather than later.

In addition to meat processing, the business also offers custom skull carving and dipping services.

Howard can carve elaborate patterns, styles, words and custom designs on various-sized skulls. He also offers elaborate dippings.

Interested customers can call 509-900-7145.

"We're just glad to be open again," Lawson said.

Author Bio

Olivia Harnack, Managing Editor

Olivia Harnack is the award-winning managing editor/photographer/videographer/columnist at the Lincoln County Record-Times, with offices in both Davenport and Odessa, Wash. She is a University of Idaho graduate and a U.S. Army National Guardsman.