Jim Rankin Meat’s started out as Carpenter Quality Meats.In 1956 Ira Carpenter bought a small hardware store from Ray Collins and converted it into a butcher shop. As his helpers he had his son Robert Carpenter and his son-in-law William Rankin. After a few years of building up the business a restless Ira sold the meat shop to his daughter and son-in-law Bill & Mary Rankin. Ira was starting another business endeavor by opening a ski lodge in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Bill continued to operate the business now known as Carpenter & Rankin’s Quality
Meats up into 1987. During his run he had seen many changes to the meat industry,
super markets now firmly entrenched in Port Huron and the era of the old fashioned
butcher shop had started to decline, despite this he managed to operate a thriving
business. In 1987 he turned over the family business to his son, James A. Rankin,
after successfully guiding the business it’s first 30 years of existence.
Jim Rankin took over in 1987 and changed the name of the business to Jim Rankin
Meats. Jim also witnessed many changes to the meat industry and adapted the
business to keep up with modern technology. He installed a new electronic smokehouse
updated much of the store’s equipment, implemented small freezer packages to go
along with custom work, expanded the deer processing business, and brought vacuum sealing technology to the market.
James P. Rankin or “Jimmy” as he is known by his family took over the family business in July, 2008. Jimmy started working in the business as a clean-up boy when he was 11 years old, and has worked there his whole life minus a 4 year stint in the U.S. Air Force.He was privileged to work along side his grandfather and father for many years learning the ins and outs of running the meat business. His goal is to safeguard the traditions and history of the family business and to also incorporate newer trends and technologies for the future.
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