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Bringing Home the Bacon f Melissa Shamp-Van Heerden is a third generation owner of Shamp’s Meat Market.
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When a person walks into Shamp’s Meat Market in Pine River, they are greeted with the aroma of seasonings and curing and smoked meats. It is like stepping back in time; the log building is filled with antiques that have been a part of the Shamp family history for generations. The homey atmosphere has been a part of Melissa Shamp-Van Heerden’s life for as long as she can remember. Melissa is the daughter of Mike and Melanie Shamp and the granddaughter of Archie and Elene Shamp. Melissa is the third generation of her family to own and operate this successful small town business. “It’s my understanding that my great-grandfather, Frank, came to the United States from Holland with his five brothers,” Melissa says. “He settled in Pine River and married my great-grandmother Elizabeth.” According to U.S. census records, “Francis” and “Lizzie” owned their home and were living in Walden Township in Cass County in 1920 with their two young daughters, Pearl, age 2, and newborn Clara. The record shows that Francis was born in Holland and Lizzie was born in Minnesota. It also shows that Lizzie’s father came from France. In 1930 the Census had added a column showing the arrival date and place of origin of the persons listed. It shows “Francis” came to the United States from Holland in 1890. This census also shows that by this time, Frank and Elizabeth had four more children: Archie, Albert, Violet and Vernon. Archie purchased his own homestead at the intersection of Highway 1 and County Road 44. He raised beef cattle and hogs. This was the original site where Archie opened Shamp’s Meat Market in 1965. “Archie’s friend, Del Birk, was a meat cutter in Chicago. When Del moved to Minnesota Archie asked Del if he would come and 40
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Shamp’s M
Melissa’s grandfather, Archie Shamp (left) with meat cutter, Del Birk
help him run the business,” says Melissa. “My grandfather Shamp raised the beef and hogs. Del butchered and cut them for the customers.” Melissa’s father Mike, bought the business in 1972. The business supported Mike, his wife, Melanie, and their four children: Melissa, Mark, Marlayna and Matthew. Melanie also taught school in Pequot Lakes for many years. In 1993 a fire destroyed the business. “My dad took a year off to decide what he wanted to do. Friends encouraged him to reopen,” Melissa says, “but they told him he needed to be on Highway 371.” So in 1994 Mike and Melanie moved the business to its more visible and easily accessible location just south of Pine River. “I came back to the area after graduating from college in 1999,” Melissa says. “I purchased the business from my dad in 2007.” Running the meat market has always been a family affair. Things haven’t changed much in that respect. Melissa’s husband, Ty Van Heerden, is a certified meat cutter. She smiles as she recalls how they met. “He is from South Africa,” she says. “He had been in North Dakota working on an Ag Visa when he happened to be driving through Minnesota and stopped at the store to inquire about a job.” “The staff just loved him,” Melissa says. “They called him ‘Mick’ – like Mick Dundee from the movie Crocodile Dundee – because of his accent. They kept saying, ‘You need to hire Mick.’ I was hesitant but eventually decided to hire him. We were married three years ago.” Melissa and Ty are raising six children. “It is a yours, mine and ours situation,” Melissa says. “Our oldest is 14 and the youngest will turn 2 in December.” The older children help out after school just as Melissa and her siblings did. “They are very helpful,” said Melissa. “They do carry outs, make change or answer the phone.” While much remains the same, there have been changes too.