Meat buying club in Ray’s parking lot

Every other Friday, Ballard native Keith Swanson of Thundering Hooves delivers his grass-fed meat to restaurants, stores and “buying clubs” around the area. One of his stops is at Ray’s Boathouse, who, for more than a year, has been serving their burgers and steaks.

Thundering Hooves used to set up at the Ballard Farmers Market, but it’s transformed from the stationary tent to a mobile “buying club,” which is a club by name only. Clients don’t actually join or pay membership fees. “They just place their order, show up at the right time, pay for their meats, and go home happy,” Swanson says. Recently Swanson decided to start up a club at Ray’s.

This morning Lisa McConnachie is picking up her first order in the Ray’s parking lot. “It’s a belated Father’s day gift for my husband,” she says, whose husband is off playing on the dock with their son. She said she’s known about Thundering Hooves for a few years, and now she’s trying out their service. Swanson says that only a few families are using the club at Ray’s, which is at 8 a.m. every other Friday morning. The largest club is on Phinney Ridge at St. John United Lutheran where he delivers every other Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.