Rugby Scott Brings Local Meat and More to Bonnie Brae

“It’s about building a community base,” says Ryan “Tuck” Tuchscherer, who, along with business partner Dan Brown, has brought the first Rugby Scott retail location to 731 South University Boulevard, in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood.

Occupying part of the former Saucy Noodle space, Rugby Scott has been in soft-opening mode but will celebrate its grand-opening weekend starting today, September 8. While the retail shop is new, it has deep roots.

In 1884, Tuchscherer’s great-great-grandfather homesteaded in Rugby, North Dakota, and began a generations-long tradition of raising livestock. Tuchscherer grew up in Fort Scott, Kansas, where that tradition expanded. The business name is an homage to the family’s history in both places, where descendants still have ranches today.

A career as a sports chiropractor brought Tuchscherer to Denver, where he works with players from the Broncos, Avalanche and Nuggets. In 2010, he took the reins of the family business as well, and added a ranch near Platteville. He also added the direct-to-consumer side of the operation, shipping beef nationwide, and began working with local restaurants like Steakhouse 10, Max’s Gill & Grill and Reiver’s to supply them with high-quality beef.

“Everyone kept asking if we were going to open a store,” Tuchscherer recalls. “I wanted to make sure that if we were going to do it, it was the right location. I wanted a neighborhood feel, a community vibe and feel. It’s a place where people can walk in and learn the story of what me and my family having been doing since the 1800s.

“I think people have a disconnect when it comes to where their meat is coming from,” he continues. “Years and years ago, we knew the rancher. We want to get back to that full transparency, where people know that the beef was raised correctly, humanely and ethically.”

Rugby Scott’s products include typical beef cuts like ribeye, sirloin and short ribs, all of which are hormone- and antibiotic-free and pasture-raised. It also has wagyu beef options for those looking to splurge on particularly well-marbled and flavorful beef.

But because it’s breaking down whole animals, Rugby Scott is also able to offer less common options. “My favorite cuts are the heart and the tongue, I grew up understanding how to cook those,” he says, adding that he understands that most people did not. That’s why in-store education and sampling, as well as events, are a big part of what he’s looking forward to now that the retail location has launched. He also plans to host dinners on the ranch itself for a truly up-close look at the operation.

Already in the works is a steak and whiskey-pairing dinner with one of its partners, Mile High Spirits. Rugby Scott also uses spent grain from both Mile High Spirits and Westbound & Down to feed its cattle, and is planning to release a special “drunken wagyu” line with meat from cattle that has a specific ration of that in its diet.

Rugby Scott produces pork products as well, including bacon and pork chops, and will be bringing in chicken, seafood, lamb and sheep from other sustainably run partners soon. The shop’s selection is rounded out with items like milk, eggs, cheese, Mountain Girl Pickles, seasonings from the Spice Guy and imported products from Italy, including pasta. “We’re making sure all of our products are a high, high grade,” Tuchscherer says.

Recently, Rugby Scott has been working with AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q, one of the nine spots that secured the state’s first Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand designation. The barbecue joint is not only selling Rugby Scott meat in-house, but smoking beef that will be sampled during the retail shop’s opening weekend.

Partnering with people like AJ’s owner Jared Leonard is an important part of Rugby Scott’s business. “For us, it is about working with restaurateurs in Denver to serve local meats, and giving chefs and restaurateurs the ability to come to us for something unique and different – to curate a cool product, because we can cut animals specifically for their menu,” notes Tuchscherer.

While Rugby Scott still offers nationwide shipping through its website, now residents of the metro area can easily access a different kind of meat-buying experience. “You’re not just grabbing your meat and going home,” Tuchscherer concludes. “We’re here for people in Denver to learn about Rugby Scott and what we’ve been doing for 140 years.”