Damian’s Craft Meats: Client Story

Expert. Guidance. Support.

That’s how Rosemary Linares of Damian’s Craft Meats describes her journey working with Gritter Real Estate Services as she and her partner, Damian Rivera, develop Washtenaw County’s first USDA-inspected slaughterhouse in the City of Manchester.

This project draws on their family’s rich history in butchering—Rosemary’s great-grandfather started a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse before World War II, and Damian worked in butchering in Mexico. Damian's passion was reignited over a decade ago when he made birria from a goat he slaughtered with a neighbor. Since then, they have been working towards the dream of owning their own meat processing facility.

The couple, whose backgrounds are in nonprofit management and manufacturing, originally attempted to navigate the complicated process without guidance, running into roadblocks when they met with municipal officials. Unfamiliar with the process to get a project like this moving, they consulted a different owner’s representative who did not add value to their project.

This changed in 2023, when they met Tom from Gritter Real Estate Services. Ever since that introduction, in collaboration with Mike Penn of Penn Real Estate Group, Tom has been assisting Damian’s Craft Meats. The team met regularly, initially bi-weekly and then weekly as the project progressed. Gritter Real Estate functioned not only as an owner’s representative but also as a broker, successfully locating and securing the purchase of the ideal property which had the appropriate zoning and soil quality, proximity to a Class A road, and a convenient distance from their home.

The one requirement that the property did not have was a connection to the city water and sewer system. Gritter Real Estate Services identified that the closest connection point was nearby and that extending these utilities aligned with the city’s growth plan. Gritter Real Estate Services worked collaboratively with the City of Manchester and Ann Arbor Spark and secured funds for the sewer line to be constructed, including a $400,000 grant from the state. Additionally, Tom worked to secure an IFT for the site.

This project has received $4.5M in grants, some of which present significant restrictions and compliance requirements. Although this could feel constrictive at times, Rosemary shared that Tom used his community connections to assemble a nimble team of experts that adeptly navigate through the grant confines.

While working with their funding sources to finalize the property purchase, Tom provided perspective and support throughout the unfamiliar and stressful process. Rosemary was grateful for Tom's strategic thinking, financial savvy, and ability to present options clearly, which helped her learn and make informed decisions throughout the project.

Rosemary says she isn’t feeling the bumps and roughness that came with the previous eight years of the project, instead feeling support and confidence knowing that there are knowledgeable experts by her side. She appreciates how Tom’s investment in community projects aligns with her values as well as his ability to inject humor and levity into what could be a daunting experience.

In collaboration with Gritter Real Estate Services, the couple have received site plan approval, purchased the property, and are now making substantial headway on their architectural and civil plans to prepare the site and facility to be constructed. Rosemary is excited about her next challenge—running the meat processing facility—and remains grateful for teammates like Gritter Real Estate who are there to tackle the project alongside them in collaboration. Rosemary can see the destination ahead and knows where Damian’s Craft Meats is going because they have Gritter Real Estate Services on their team.