By Kristine Kern
Review Staff Writer
When you pull up to the Ellsworth Locker on Main Street in Ellsworth, MN you can’t help but notice all the award listings from the recent Minnesota Meat Processors Convention in their window. Anyone who has tasted their delicious creations is not surprised. This little gem tucked away in the corner of southwest Minnesota has been producing award winning recipes for decades.
Brian and Kathy Chapa have owned the Ellsworth Locker for 35 years (it will be 36 years on June 1). Before owning the locker, Brian was employed there, working in the locker since he was in junior high. He knows how to create delicious and creative recipes for brats, beef stix and bacon to name just a few. The Chapas are proud to say that they have brought home awards from the Minnesota Meat Processors Convention every year but one since 1989. Kathy laughed as she explained that there was one very busy year when she was pregnant and Brian was particularly busy at the locker and the contest fell to the back burner. Ellsworth Locker brought home the 2018 Grand Champions awards for their dried beef and Honey BBQ Stix, Reserve Champion for their smoked pork chops and bacon and Honorable Mention for their Salsa Cheese Stix. A total of 388 meat products were entered in 26 different categories at this years contest. For the Chapas choosing their entries out of the many meat products they produce is a serious challenge. Kathy comments that they always bring a few standards such as ham and pork chops and bring a variety of their favorites and new flavors of brats and stix. The Ellsworth Locker produces 97 different meat products and feature 36 brat flavors.
Brian and Kathy are excited to welcome their son Tyler back to the locker business. Kathy laughed and said, “he would tell you he has been helping here since he could walk, standing on a box if he couldn’t reach something.” Tyler is back after earning his business degree at SDSU in Brookings. He came back to Ellsworth and started full time in the locker last year. “He really takes a lot of the pressure off Brian and I. It is really nice to have him back at the locker,” said Kathy.
If you are in the neighborhood, or even if you are not, it is worth the drive to stop in and pick up some of Ellsworth Locker’s delicious award winning meat products.
