The Victor Churchill Butcher Shop in Sydney is reputed to be the oldest continuous butchery business in Australia. Established in 1876, the original Churchill’s butcher shop located on Queen Street in Woollahra in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was founded by James Churchill. Victor and Cyril Churchill, James’ sons, took over the management of the store with Victor Churchill managing the store for the longest period.
Victor and Anthony Puharich the founders of Vic’s Premium Quality Meat an Australian wholesaler of premium meats have become only the fourth owners of the butcher shop in its 134 year history.
The butchery supplies some of Sydney and Melbourne’s finest restaurants including Jacque Raymond, Vue De Monde, Cutler & Co, Movida, Rockpool Bar and Grill, Flower Drum, Grossi Florentino, The Stokehouse and Taxi Dining Room.
The upmarket shop décor was designed by Michael McCann of Dreamtime Australia.
Walls are covered with timber and cowhide, and the beef is aged in temperature controlled rooms for between twenty one and twenty eight days which not only reduces moisture and concentrates flavour also tenderises the meat. All meat is Australian product and nothing is cryovaced or imported.
The beef ageing room has a wall constructed of interlocking bricks hewn from Himalayan salt which assists in drying out and purifying the air..
During pre-refurbishment demolition an old sandstone wall was discovered and it was decided to keep the wall and highlight its unique, historical value by using it as the backdrop wall for the butchers’ working platform.
The shop front features a see through double glazed refrigerated vitrine which allows for display of an ever changing array of hanging meat and poultry.
Boutique stonemasons, Gitani Stone, sliced the existing flooring into mosaic tiles and re-laid them in book-matched slab form and with a marble wall coving. The ceiling and counter fronts feature hand-carved copper fretwork by Di Emme Creative Solutions.
