For almost 13 years we have been making great jerky, but only the last 3 have been in our shop. I started making jerky in my home around 1990. I was in high school and loved to cook and loved beef jerky, unfortunately I didn't have money to support my jerky habit. Then one night I was watching television and saw one of those food dehydrators. It was the answer to my prayers; I'd make my own jerky!

So for the next 10 years my hobby was making beef jerky. And I made a lot of it, stinking up my parent's house. But after a gazillion batches of jerky, some good and some bad, I finally got the recipe right. That's when I started selling it to my friends and family. People were begging for the stuff. They were all calling me the 'Jerky Man'. Everyone was asking for jerky, including friends of friends and people I didn't even know!

That's what got me to where I am now. Three years ago at the prompting of friends I opened Metropolis Beef Jerky Co. in Evergreen Park, Illinois on Chicago's historic South Side. In that time we've become a unique fixture in our area and known for the best beef jerky you can buy. As most of our customers say, "Screw that store bought stuff, your jerky is the real thing!"