There’s something nice about shopping local. I don’t just mean the whole buying-local-produce thing (because though that’s nice, it’s not really worth making you read about), but actually shopping somewhere that is owned locally. Turns out though, when it comes to food, outside of the farmer’s markets, it’s kind of hard to do in Raleigh. At least for someone who’s new to Raleigh (or Newly Raleigh as we’re calling it). Like me.

I moved to Raleigh in March. I think it was that day or the next that I noticed Larry’s Super Market (or Supermarket depending in on which sign you look at) on the corner of Colleton and Milburnie. I was immediately drawn to the brightly colored (and obviously handwritten) posters in the window “Turkey Necks, $10.99/lb” or “Fat Back, $8.99/lb.” How could you not want to go inside? But despite my best intentions, it was over a month before I ever made it through the doors of Larry’s (after first dodging cars pulling erratically out of the parking lot—something about those deals on meat make people drive like crazy).

Before going much further, I should clarify that I don’t eat meat that walks on four legs or says quack. Things that gobble, cluck or swim are fair game for the plate, but please don’t make me eat, touch or prepare any of those others. If you’ve lived in Raleigh longer than me—that is, any time at all—you probably know where this is heading: Larry’s, apparently, is known for its meat. It was clear from the first whiff of meat-ness (there really is no better word) that this grocery trip was not going to go as I had expected.

After my first visit, I decided the place should be renamed Larry’s Meat Market (or Meatmarket if you prefer). It’s as close to the old fashioned butcher shops as I think I’ve ever seen—complete with guys in the back slinging hunks of pork butt and chatting with customers. It was totally charming in an odd kind of way that made me want to wander the aisles while holding my nose and averting my eyes. And though I don’t have much use for a two-pound package of chitterlings or five freshly made sausages, I will surely visit Larry’s whenever I have the chance (or a craving for what looks to be home made fried okra from the frozen food section).

It does bring to mind though the question of where else can I shop and support a homegrown store? I’ve posed this question to many people in the last couple of months and the answer I get 99 percent of the time is, “Well there was this place off of Peace Street, by Ace Hardware, but it closed…so…yeah…I don’t know.” While I’m sure I would have checked out this place had I lived here during it’s short existence (so short no one remembers what it was called), I didn’t, so I can’t, so that isn’t really any help.

They say the first necessity for survival is food. So, to start off this Newly Raleigh column (where basically I get to write about whatever I find odd or endearing or strange about becoming a Raleighite), I’d like to open the floor to food/grocery suggestions: Where should a newbie like me to shop without having to support Food Lion, Kroger, Whole Foods or the dreaded Harris Teeter?