Matthew Alexander Quail was the original founder of Quails in 1898. Dealing in property and livestock, he often left his wife Dorothy to look after the shop which was then in Rathfriland Street, Banbridge. In 1900 he moved to the current premises in 15 Newry Street and there the family lived on the first floor.

Joe Quail (Senior) was born there in 1907 and at an early age he left school to help his father.

The family then moved to a farm at Tullyear in 1923 which is still the Quail family home today.

When buying calves in Belfast, Joe (senior) got the job of collecting them. On his way to Belfast, he often brought select cuts of meat for a butcher in Shaftesbury Square. These ended up with the well-to-do families on the Malone Road. While he was there, Joe (senior) learned a great deal by watching the butchers at work. Being more enthusiastic than his father, he took over the reins of the business in the 1920's and ran it successfully for nearly 50 years.

When he retired in 1970, his son James became the 3rd generation of the Quail family to manage the shop. Being very interested in farming, he links the farm with the shop producing high quality Limousin meat for which the shop is well known for.

In 1998, in Quails 100th year of trading, a bomb demolished the premises. However, with much planning, an exciting new building was finished in May 2000. It now houses a butchery, deli, cafe and an art display facility.

Click here to find out more about the meat produced for Quail’s shop.