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Rating the Suburbs - Stow

Kris Burns, 45
owner of Kirbie’s Meats and Catering

by Beth Stallings, Lynne Thompson, Andy Netzel, Jim Vickers, Colleen Smitek, Francis X. Bova III, Matt Beargie, Erick Trickey, Kim Schneider, Jennifer Bowen, Beth Troy, Mike Montgomery, Chuck Bowen, Laura Adiletta, Jason Lloyd, Jennifer Gonzalez, Ilana Yerg | Jun. 4, 2009 | 4:00 AM

We started out as a neighborhood butcher shop.It was primarily meat cases with a small deli and some frozen foods. Then we started catering. That caused us to have to expand and eventually move.

More of my waking hours are spent here than at home.

There has been a general growth in the area. It’s not a growth to the point of becoming overcrowded but a steady growth in a positive way.

A lot more people have become aware of this area. There was less here 13 years ago. Now there is more foot traffic, more car traffic.

The sense of closeness here has not been lost in the growth of the community. Most of the community shuts down on the Fourth of July because they love the parade.

There are walking trails, bike trails. There is the Silver Spring Park, which has campgrounds, tennis courts, pavilions and basketball courts. There is a lot to do.

Even though this is a fairly large city, I can call the mayor and tell her about a special I’m having this week. She shops here regularly.

The local historical society puts on a show. They make homemade apple butter. They’re dressed in period costumes.

You walk in here and you are treated like family.

It’s mostly families that shop here. We are a family-owned business and people tend to support us. We are not a chain. They love that when they come in here, they are called by their first name.

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