This unique SMB is taking an old-school trade and turning it on its head with new practices and a fresh outlook on a dated industry.
The Neon Pig is a full butchery, fresh seafood store, restaurant, AND a craft beer haven. Intrigued yet?
The “Pig” prides themselves on homemade and in-house butchery while also only utilizing near-by farms and sustainable water sources.
To start, this shop boasts an impressive line-up of specialty cured meats like pancetta, prosciutto, and spicy jerky.
But The Neon Pig also has a reputation around the region for their “famous smash” burger; a balanced combination of sirloin, filet mignon, ribeye, and Benton’s bacon is ground together and served on a ciabatta roll with sharp cheddar, bacon bits, and house-made pickles.
Yum!
The burger even took home Thrillist’s “Best Burger in America” in 2015 and has been capitalizing on its already feverish fan base ever since.
In addition to the all American items, Neon Pig also pays homage to Asian flavor profiles by serving up lettuce wraps, pork belly buns, and a Gulf Shrimp po’boy slathered in tangy hoisin sauce.
Word to the wise, the robust café menu pairs perfectly with the large selection of craft beers that are on tap!
It doesn’t stop there though.
In addition to a full butchery, the Neon Pig also has a grocery section where you can pick up local favorites like bacon jam or fresh milled grits. Homemade salsa, fresh local produce, and an assortment of pickled vegetables don the walls in between the restaurant and the butcher shop.
Walking into the grocery side of the building, you definitely would not expect to find an award-winning menu just next door. The ambiance is bold, bright, and filled with local characters.
Before you take a seat in the restaurant, you can grab yourself a cold one and bag of chips to tide you over. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about their pigs.
A large portion of the Neon Pig business plan emphasizes the locality of the product in an attempt to “save Tupelo” by buying local. The geographic desirability of the animals is not just for convenience sake.
Neon Pig also aids in the resident economy and their community by making sure all of their meats are fresh from the Mississippi fields. This sense of community is seen throughout every aspect of the business. From the meat itself to the ambiance of the storefront, Neon Pig has created a formula for a successful small business in Tupelo – which is why this one-of-a-kind shop makes our list of Best SMBs in America.
Editor Note: References made to companies in this post are not meant to convey endorsement by Rubicon of those companies in any way.
