The European Quality Meats space in Kensington Market now has a new tenant and it's going to be another butcher. Last night, Peter Sanagan announced on his blog that he's moving his popular butcher shop a few doors east to 176 Baldwin Street. If all goes according to plan the new shop should be up and running by August.

The fact that a popular discount butcher is being replaced with a popular artisanal butcher will likely go unnoticed by nobody, least of all those worried about gentrification (or something like it) in Kensington. But those concerns should be unfounded. While Sanagan's may be relatively new to the market, it is a quintessential Kensington business - family owned and offering a great (often local) product at fair prices.

But perhaps even more exciting than the news itself are the plans that Sanagan has revealed for the space. More room means more products and services. In the tradition of European Meats he's going to have a hot sandwich counter as well as offer terrines, pates, rilletes, cretons, galantines, mousses, stocks, jus, soups, and other prepared foods. As he writes on his blog, the move will allow him to grow as a butcher and offer more grass-fed beef, Berkshire pork, locally produced hams, prosciutto, salami, smoked meats, roast beef and service more restaurant customers too. He also promises a fantastic collection of locally sourced sauces, pickles, mustards and sauerkrauts.

Photo by Neil Ta in the blogTO Flickr pool