Roy’s Meat Service owner Jeff Roy is turning lemons into some pretty sweet lemonade. The business is facing a lawsuit, stemming from a disgruntled neighbor, who moved in years after Roy’s Meat Service was already thriving in East Nashville, and complained about everything from the smell of meat to the smoke emitting from the property, falsely accusing Roy of encroaching on her property and more.
Although the unfortunate lawsuit has resulted in hefty legal fees, and massive headaches for Roy as he tried to appease her, at least at first, the publicity also drove even more people to the restaurant and store, making Roy’s Meat Service thrive, even amid the challenges.
“I’m doing twice as much,” Roy tells The Tennessean. “If she’d have just left it alone, there’d have been a lot less smoke, a lot less people coming in and out, a lot less cars parked in front of her house.”
Roy’s Meat Service was already popular among both locals and tourists alike, but as word spread, people came out in droves to support the local business
“Now I have to have two smokers to keep up with the demand,” Roy revealed.
The lawsuit began in January of 2023, with no end in sight. A new court date is set for May 24, to address a motion filed by the neighbor’s lawyer to pause the case for four months, due to scheduling issues. Until it is resolved, Roy is continuing with business as usual.
“There’s no reason for me to change in any way, so I’m not gonna do it,” he maintains.
A GoFundMe was launched to help Roy raise money for legal fees, which to date has raised more than $45,000.
“Despite the constant humility and generosity shown by the Roy Family, they have found themselves at the center of an egregious lawsuit, and victims of constant harassment that has greatly impacted their financial situation,” a statement on the GoFundMe page says in part.
“Although Jeff would never ask for help, there have been countless individuals ask how they can help Jeff and Roy’s Meat Service during this time,” the statement continues. “We have created a GoFundMe to alleviate the financial stress placed upon Jeff, help cover the increasing legal fees, and the costs of constant repairs and renovations made necessary to Roy’s business.”
As for Roy and his family, they are determined to continue serving the community that they love, and have supported for years.
“I could see us growing into a bigger place with more seating, and more shelf space,” Roy recently told Everything Nash. “But since the 2020 tornado hit, I witnessed the need for this store to provide the goods that this community needs. We were able to open the store and run off generators to provide the needs of these neighbors. After the tornado, when all the big stores were closed, then COVID hit.
“With us being in the wholesale meat business, we were able to reach out to some of the smaller packing houses that didn’t have to close, and we were able to keep meat on the shelf when the big stores couldn’t,” he continued. “So I don’t see us going anywhere. We’re staying where we are to serve their needs.”
Roy’s Meat Service is located at 605 South 19th Street. Find more information at RoyMeatService.com.
