Tom Salle has been working his fingers to the bone. But not the kind he'd prefer. Locally famous as "Meat the Live Butcher" Salle has been enduring delays in getting his new butcher shop open at 9432 16th SW in White Center. As the the West Seattle Herald reported in June he hoped to be open by the end of summer.

But permits, construction delays and the speed at which things get purchased and installed have meant that the opening was a bit later than he would have liked.

The Grand Opening event is now set for Nov. 2 and true to his spirit and reputation it will be a community driven event. But that doesn't mean the shop itself will be entirely ready. That's going to take just a bit more time. The party is on though and set to take place at the White Center Eagles at 10452 15th SW. It will be a food drive for the White Center Food Bank with live music provided by Jim King and the Southenders at 8:30. The party gets underway at 6pm.

You are urged to bring a non perishable food item and/or cash to help in the drive.

All the food for the event will be provided by Salle and the new shop.

The shop, when it opens will offer all the things long time customers came to expect when he was working at Bernie and Boys:quality meats, cheeses and legendary customer service. He will offer meats cut to order of course but also some items that are pre-cooked and ready to go. The new front door looks like a cooler but inside the display cases and clean interior make it, "a gem of a shop" Salle said.

Getting the work done has been a true community effort. Tools from White Center Tool rental have been made available at no charge, friends and neighbors have all helped out in some way to get the shop, built in the former Benton's Realty office, open and providing service.

When we get the actual date for the shop's opening, we will update this story.