In Business: Rod’s Specialty Meats Reaching Its End in Bemidji

After 36 years, Bemidji’s Rodney Anderson will be retiring and saying his final goodbyes to a place he once called home.

In 1987, Rod Anderson bought an empty lot on Paul Bunyan Drive and built a meat market, Rod’s Specialty Meats, that he’s now shutting down this week.

Anderson became a meat man about 70 years ago out of need to provide for his family. He worked several jobs and neither stuck with him.

After working for many other meat markets and getting told he wasn’t good enough, Anderson told his wife Mary-Ann it was time for the two to start their own business and move forward.

“He came in one day, told me I wasn’t a good meat man, so they let me go. So I bought this lot, paid $60,000 for it,” says Rod’s Specialty Meats owner Rodney Anderson.

Anderson is well regarded by the employees of Rod’s Specialty Meats as a pleasant and hardworking man. Evan after only knowing Anderson for a short time, they can state that working for someone like Rod was a pleasure.

“It’s been wonderful. Probably the best place I’ve ever worked at bosses,” said employee Matthew Wright. “Very accommodating and helpful. If I have issues he is, he’ll help me out if I need to need it.”

The last day of business for Rod’s Specialty Meats is Thursday, Aug. 31.