Five years ago, Athena moved to Arizona and has not looked back at the Midwest since! (Sorry to her fellow Illinoisans). She joined KGUN 9 in July of 2024 as a multimedia journalist.
A former University of Arizona researcher is taking his work from the lab to the butcher block and bringing a personal touch along the way.“The way I grew up eating these… every bite you can kind of fix it.
A little lime, a little hot sauce, and you take a bite,' says Dr. Samuel Garcia. Those early experiences shaped his path, connecting him back to his family’s heritage.Garcia spent more than a decade building his expertise in meat science, working and teaching at the University of Arizona.After years in academia, he decided it was time to carve out something of his own. That vision became Lomo Premium Meats and Grill. Garcia says it opened a little over a year ago, with the grill side opening just about a month ago.“I've made a lot of connections with local ranchers and people in the industry that now I can call on to provide some of the beef that we sell here. So we do try to provide as much local meat as possible,' Garcia says. Even outside the classroom, Garcia has not stopped teaching. That impact comes full circle when former students walk through his doors, including Evelyn Martinez, who now works for the state agriculture department and inspects businesses like his.“He used to teach me so much, and now coming here, I come and inspect him and make sure that everything's under compliance, the pretty much the same rules that he taught me, I'm making sure he's following them now,” Martinez explains.Inside the shop, Garcia’s approach is as hands-on as ever and deeply personal. He makes a point to connect with every customer who stops in.“I give my personal cell phone to everyone that walks in the store, and there are times that I receive a call in the middle of the night or in early in the morning. I’ll answer as much as I can,” Garcia says.Whether it is grabbing something quick or staying to cook and eat, Garcia says there is something for everyone.“We have rubs, seasonings, marinades,” Garcia explains, “we have our dry aging coolers here. A customer can buy a whole piece of meat and then dry age it for as long as they want.”The store is open daily at 11 a.m., closing at 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Its Eastside location is at 1521 N Wilmot Rd.
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