Wagga Meat Supply owner Andrew Nelson has put his thriving butchery up for sale

Wagga Meat Supply has been keeping locals fed from their Forsyth St base since 2016, and in Tolland for a few years before that, but owner Andrew Nelson has decided the time may have come to hang up his knives.

A recent health scare forced Mr Nelson to rethink the "priorities" in his life, and as he children are getting older, 70 hour weeks suddenly don't seem appealing anymore.

"It's probably the right time, I'll certainly miss it," he said.

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Mr Nelson, who is also a lamb farmer, got into the trade in 1987 at 15 years-old and the idea that he won't be getting up before dawn to get to the shop hasn't quite settled in.

"I'm not sure at this stage, it's a funny feeling to not do this or run this because I've been running shops for so long, but I've got a lot to keep my mind active," he said.

"It will be a big change ... the business has had to come first, that's the sacrifice that you make. But the rewards have been there, I just feel that it's the right time."

The business is available fully staffed and with a loyal following, and the past two-COVID affected years have actually drawn people back to their local butcher, making it the ideal time to be in the trade, he said.

And potential buyers could even get Mr Nelson as part of the bargain.

"The shop's fully managed, so I could come in and help work, or advise, but if you don't want me near it, I've got plenty to do at the farm," he said.

Selling agent Bruce Holden from Miller & James Real Estate said the shop is available for $800,000, a decent price for the "one of most complete businesses he's ever come across".

"It goes to show how good the business is when all the staff want to stay regardless," he said.

A potential buyer will also get ready-made online meat selling infrastructure, one of the only local butchers to do so, and Mr Holden said the business is unique in that it's being sold while the current owner still has the passion for the job

"It's a smart way to sell the business, you don't want to sell when you've had a gut-full of it. You want to sell when you've still got the passion for it, because the passion shows in the business," he said.

"In my opinion the best butcher shop in the area, by a mile."

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