There’s something lovely about being out in the country.
Maybe it’s less traffic. Maybe it’s the fields. Maybe it’s the quiet.
And maybe it’s the surprises.
Visitors making their way to the Kickapoo State Recreation Area have noticed a little treasure at 9912 E 1980 North Rd just outside of Oakwood, in rural Vermilion County: Sugar Shack Antiques and KD Ranch, owned by Kim and Doug Marsh.
With visitors taking a walk, riding their bike or going to fish at Kickapoo, the Sugar Shack and Ranch is in a great location.
“Some people say, ‘Oh you’re out in the country off the beaten path. That’s not a good idea.’ But it is because you get to go out in the country and see something different,” Doug said.
“Once they get out here, if they enjoy the country and the animals, then they love it.”
After 6 1/2 years of raising Texas longhorns, buffalo, elk and whitetail deer in East Central Illinois, the Marshs have created a rural attraction that draws in spectators and customers both locally and regionally.
“When it’s nicer weather, we have constant traffic on this road, people driving by to see our animals. It’s bumper to bumper traffic,” Kim said.
“It’s people that they’ve heard about us somewhere, and they are out on a Sunday drive or people who will just drive religiously by here two or three times a week; they make it part of their routine.”
While some people drive by to catch a glimpse of the large animals, customers, both new and repeat, stop in for an unique shopping experience.
The Sugar Shack, located on the 20-acre KD Ranch property, hosts primitive antiques and grass fed animal meat for customers to purchase.
The Sugar Shack is only open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month.
The Marshs believe their limited hours also create a buzz for customers.
“Even our repeat customers that come in all the time, they want to know what do you have new?” Kim said.
“It creates more anticipation and excitement that way as opposed to being open all of the time and not being able to experience all of those things,” Doug added.
“We have some people when we open up at on Saturday, they are here at 9 o’clock. They buy enough meat to last them for the month.”
A regular customer includes Doug’s surgeon, who used to be a vegetarian, but now comes each month with his wife and son to stock up on the lean meats.
“For people that are on restricted diets, want to eat better or eat cleaner, our meats are a great choice,” Kim said.
When the Marsh’s first started selling the meats, they only used the parts of the animals they thought people would enjoy consuming. But, after listening to the customers’ needs and wants, they now use the entire animal.
Alongside traditional favorites, such as burgers, steaks, roasts, brats, summer sausage and jerky, the Marshs now offer stew meats, bones, bone marrow and organs, too.
“We use everything,” Kim said. “Everything is utilized, nothing is gone to waste.”
Because the meats are not just what people see in the grocery, Kim and Doug spend a lot of time educating visitors and customers on the quality of their product and the life of their animals.
The naturally fed animals do not receive growth stimulants, hormones, steroids or antibiotics, unless the animal is sick, which Kim said only happens on a rare occasion.
“Our meat has a sweeter, cleaner taste because it’s farm-raised,” Kim said.
“Our animals are happy, too,” Kim continued. “That makes a difference. Believe it or not, when you take it into the processor, if that animal is stressed out, then its muscles are going to be tight and it won’t be as tender.”
When the Sugar Shack is open, the Marshs have three people there: two inside the shack to attend to customers and one outside to educate children about the animals and to help adults understand the benefits of farm-raised meats.
“Sometimes in the summer we have more kids out here than adults,” Kim said.
Doug said that while some families ask if they can stand at the fence, look and take pictures, there are some who try to engage with or pet the animals. Being out along the fence with the visitors gives him a chance to help visitors understand the proper way to interact with the animals.
It is also important to Kim and Doug that they have an opportunity to debunk some misconceptions about the animals some visitors have never seen before.
“The Texas longhorns are the easiest animal that we’ve ever raised,” Kim said. “I highly recommend them for children that want projects, or families that want pets and have a farm where they can live.
“Just because they have horns doesn’t mean that they are mean or have bad temperaments.”
There is also the opportunity to help people understand that the meat they consume actually comes from animals.
“When customers come here, I really try to educate them about our animals, how we raise them, the quality of our meats,” Kim said.
“When we first started, elk was the hardest for me to sell because so many people had never tried it; some of the people have never seen an elk. I really have had to work hard to get people to try it, and now it is one of our best sellers. People absolutely love it.”
That personal touch is something that has helped Kim and Doug build their business.
“We’re not just a shop, we are a destination,” Kim said. “I want people to have the overall experience when they come here. It’s not just stopping in for a buffalo burger. It’s getting to see the buffalo, the Texas longhorn, getting to come inside and look around at everything we have.”
Although it gets harder over the years and as the shop gains more attention, Kim wants to remember the faces and names of repeat and new customers so that the Marshs can build a lasting relationship with them.
“I know when I go places I want attention,” Kim said.
“When I go places, I know what I want, and I try to convey that to my customers here.”
Repeat customers often know what they want to grab from the meat freezers located in the back of the store. But their eye is often diverted to the primitive antiques that line the store from floor to ceiling.
With aged furniture, vintage signs, antlers, hides and horns, the Sugar Shack is an antique destination for people looking for something authentic and interesting.
“We have such a different selection of antiques,” Kim said. “The majority of the people who come who are interested in antiques, they will spend a lot of time in here.”
“A lot of older people come and say they used to have this or that,” Doug said.
“Then sometimes we will buy something and not know what it is. We have to have the old-timers come around to tell us what it is.”
New home owners often come into the Sugar Shack to find an unique piece that will fit into their space or to get decor that matches their cabin.
Kim and Doug are there to help make suggestions.
The couple has enjoyed seeing how the personal attention is something that customers enjoy.
“They expect it now,” Kim said.
It must be working as people drive at length to get to the Sugar Shack each month.
“Some of my buddies I went to high school with in Oakwood still don’t know we are here,” Doug said. “But we have people coming in from different states.”
Each long distance visitor has an opportunity to sign the door located at the front of the shop.
“I want it to be an excellent experience when people come here: this is the best place to go for meats and antiques,” Kim said.
To find out more about the Sugar Shack and KD Ranch visit https://sugarshackantiques.weebly.com/.
