Mass Reggie’s Beef Shop
Mass Reggie (Reginald Delahaye) was one of
the premier businessmen in Spring Village. His Beef Shop has been the oldest
supplier of fresh meat to the village since the 1950’s. It is still going
strong today.
Although
the shop has been rebuilt. The original location is the same. It continues to fulfill
its primary mission and is still the only Beef shop within a 10 mile radius. Throughout
the years the Butchery has been passed down second-generation to his son Wally
Delahaye who caries on the tradition as primary Butcher for the community.
As simple as this may sound, the beef shop is quite
significant, in that it has not only serves the Village but also other outside communities
as well. These are those existing in the Spring Gardens-Red Hills and above regions.
The women on donkeys shown in this picture are from those areas.
They usually stop on the way back from selling their produce in Old Harbor to purchase
meat supplies on their way home. This has been a long-standing custom for these
folks and underscores the importance of the Butchery to the area. The shop on the left belongs to the “Sony Mighty”
family, another of the large Spring Village families. Though much smaller, has also
been in existence for many years.
To the
left of the Mighty shop (not shown in this picture) is the location of the
famous “Mighty Plum Tree”, one of the largest and most bountiful plumb trees in
the Village. One cannot help but drool as they pass by the tree laden with ripe
juicy plumbs. The only trouble is that the yard is always filled with angry
dogs (such a turn-off).
This picture not only shows a partial side view of the
Beef Shop but a view of “Down the road” often referred to a “Bottom Pipe”.
Bottom Pipe got its name because it is the second Canal.
It is located at the end of this street and not visible within this picture. The
shop on the left is Miss Ester’s cook shop and has served as one of the primary
cooks shops in the Village.