1974: Eddie Katz and Arnold Soodalter, brothers-in-law, decided to start a USDA federally inspected wholesale meat business.  They opened Arnold’s & Eddie’s Foods, Inc. dba Arnold’s Meats in West Springfield, Massachusetts at the sight of the original Friendly’s Ice Cream plant.  

The business began with approximately twenty employees and four delivery trucks pedaling door to door to area restaurants in a twenty mile radius. 

From the onset, Eddie’s son Larry joined the company and they embraced a philosophy of high quality, terrific service and low prices.  Word quickly spread among the area restaurants and the business grew.  Soon thereafter, Arnold’s received calls from colleges, hospitals, prep schools and small markets to provide them with the same excellent products and service the restaurants received. 

As a result of enormous interest from retail customers wishing to make purchases for their homes, The Katz Family opened a cash and carry store in 1975.  The store at the West Springfield facility was a 20’ by 15’ room with one fresh meat case, one frozen food case, a dry goods rack and a table.  Each individual order was handwritten on an order pad and calculated by hand.  A cigar box was used as a makeshift cash register. 

When Arnold was ready to retire, Eddie bought his share of the business.  With the invaluable assistance of Eddie’s wife Lila, Larry, his other son Jerry and a loyal team of employees, Arnold’s expanded to the point that they outgrew their West Springfield location. 

1980: The Katz Family purchased property at 307 Grattan Street, Chicopee, Massachusetts where they continue to operate today.

In continuing with Eddie’s initial philosophy, there were numerous employees in the store whose primary job was to ensure that every Arnold’s customer was offered assistance, whether it be for locating product, offering cooking suggestions or special order cutting.  The retail store prospered and has been enlarged on three occasions since the move. 

Unfortunately, Eddie passed away in 1991, but the Katz Family and the Arnold’s team of employees continue his vision of how this business should be run.

1999-Present Day: By 1999 the customer response to retail shopping in Chicopee was so great, that the Katz Family decided to open a second store, Arnold’s Meats at the Barn, LLC at 359 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.  This state of the art store is run by Eddie’s daughter, Susan who ensures that Eddie’s original philosophy of high quality, terrific service and low prices is honored.  The East Longmeadow store also has numerous employees caring for the customer’s every need. 

Arnold’s Meats has grown dramatically since 1974 with the support of a top notch sales staff to call upon the restaurants and an experienced processing management team.  Four small trucks have increased to ten large trucks making deliveries five days a week from Nyak, New York to Brattleboro, Vermont and from Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Worcester, Massachusetts.  The staff has also increased from 20 to 160 employees. 

The product line has grown as well.  In addition to fresh and frozen beef, pork, poultry, lamb and veal, Arnold’s also has hundreds of other items.  We have an extensive deli section, full line of dairy products, frozen vegetables, frozen seafood, desserts, canned and bottled goods and numerous other items.  We also have one of the largest selections of BBQ sauces, hot sauces, marinades and dry rubs in the area. 

The Arnold’s processing room has also expanded.  In addition to making the finest hamburg in the area, both bulk and pre-made hamburg patties, Arnold’s vast team of butchers portion cut steaks, chops, ribs and chickens to order six days a week.  We also make our famous pepper steaks and a full line of sausages including hot and sweet Italian, breakfast and turkey. 

We hope you will visit one of our locations and experience our Ultimate Butcher Shoppe for yourself.  We are sure you will not be disappointed. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Larry at the Chicopee store (413) 593-5505 or Susan at the East Longmeadow store (413) 525-5115.  They would love to hear from you.