A longtime meat supplier in South Philadelphia is closing after 79 years in business.
Michael Buono, who owns M. Buono Beef Company, said it was time to walk away and spend more time with his family.
“It’s hard,” he said. “I really don’t want to give it up.”
Buono, 82, took over for his father, who started the company in 1946.
Over the years, he built what was a small meat supply business into one that stood the test of time, becoming a go-to place for restaurants and hotels to get meat.
“It’s been an honor for my customers to be so loyal to me. It says a lot,” he said.
Longtime customer Steve Seeleman visited Buono Thursday to bid him a farewell and make his final purchase.
Buono and Seeleman, who owns Steven Daes Gourmet Foods, have been doing business together for 30 years.
“He’s just a good man. Very, very sorry to see him go,” Seeleman said.
It’s those words that Buono said made his decades of work meaningful. As much as he enjoyed the business, he said the relationship with customers is what he will remember the most.
“I enjoyed doing it,” he said. “I think I do it well, but I enjoy making customers happy.”
