The Market on Main is a Welcome Addition to Tipton
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photographer / John Bolinger
Theres not a whole lot that Brett Morrow doesnt do. A man of many talents, hes an accountant, flight attendant, entrepreneur, home and commercial building renovator, restaurant owner, and market owner. One of his recent business endeavors involves opening a gourmet market and grocery store in Tipton.
Tipton, famous for its annual pork festival, lost its meat market a year ago, so Morrow stepped in to fill that void by opening The Market on Main last August. Located inside the old PNC bank, the 5,000-square-foot facility is not a convenience store.
I cant compete on bread, milk, eggs or Oreos because I dont have the buying volume, Morrow says. Where I can compete is on the meat side. We dont buy our meat already cut. We cut and grind everything – ground beef, pork chops, steaks. More importantly, youre not going to pick a rib eye off a piece of styrofoam thats Saran-wrapped. We cut it for you right there. Thats the beauty of a small-town butcher.
Their staff is also helpful in offering advice on how to cook certain meats, as well as tips on rubs for flavoring the meats. For instance, if you like a well-done fillet, it might not be a good idea to buy an inch-and-a-half fillet because by the time the center is well-done, itll likely be like leather on the outside.
We want people to be successful so we try to educate them, Morrow says. Were good about talking to the customers and building that rapport.
When it comes to running a successful business, Morrow says its all about treating people with respect and paying them what they are worth. Morrow follows the advice of Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, who knew that by taking care of employees, they would, in turn, take good care of the passengers.
When I bought the building I didnt know how to run a grocery store, but I could keep the books, Morrow says. Im smart enough to hire people who are better at it than I am.
Morrow bought the building and transformed it into The Market on Main to help revitalize the town. Its the same reason he purchased the defunct Pizza Shack, which he plans to reopen as The Shack.
The goal is to keep the money in Tipton, he says. If you give people a place to shop and a place to eat, all of a sudden the local coffee shop, gas station and movie theater are doing better. We want to give people a reason to stay in town.
Between The Market on Main and The Shack, Morrow has helped to change the economic feasibility of Tipton within six months.
The old saying, Build it and they will come, is true, he says.
The Market on Main also features a bistro with 18 seats including a bar area, two four-tops and a couple of leather chairs. Customers can get a coffee or a deli sandwich (again, with all fresh-cut meat). They also sell bone-in fried chicken, chicken tenders, fried mushrooms and fresh tenderloins.
Weve got free Wi-Fi and phone chargers all over so its kind of like a Starbucks lounge, Morrow says. You can come in, have your coffee or lunch, get on your laptop, check your email. Theres no place in town to do that.
Morrow loves having his hands in various ventures. Working as a flight attendant enables him to get away while multitasking.
Im taking care of passengers but Im also reflecting on getting my to-do list in order, he says. Its my me time, and nobody is tapping me on the shoulder, calling me or sending me emails. They cant when Im at 30,000 feet.
While Morrow notes that the community is champing at the bit for him to open The Shack, they have also been understanding as to why it hasnt happened quite yet.
When they saw The Market and the quality of the product were providing, they were grateful, Morrow says. In this community people know if Im going to do something, Im going to do it right. People miss their pizza, but the community has been extremely kind and supportive. Theyve thanked me for coming to town and asked me how they can help. Theyve been awesome.
The Market on Main is located at 102 North Main Street in Tipton. For more info, call 765-408-0146 or visit tiptonmarket.com.
