Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never see coming.
For Tyler Ingebretson and Kylee Ingebretson of Carrington, owning a butcher shop was never part of their original plan. But when the opportunity arose to take over a long-standing local business, they embraced the challenge and began an exciting new journey as the owners of R3 Meats.
Formerly known as Barton Meats, the business has been a trusted part of the community for 25 years. In August 2025, Tyler and Kylee officially took ownership and immediately got to work putting their own stamp on the operation.
“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Kylee said. With both Tyler and Kylee already having experience working at the business, the transition felt like a natural fit.
Since taking over, the couple has invested heavily in renovations and expansion. Their improvements included enlarging the processing area and significantly increasing freezer capacity, allowing them to store more product and better serve customer demand.
Today, R3 Meats offers a full-service butcher shop and retail store featuring a wide variety of products, including fresh-cut steaks, brats, beef jerky, seafood, seasoned meats, cooked taco meat, and more. The business continues to grow as Tyler and Kylee explore new products and ways to meet customers’ changing tastes.
One of the biggest challenges, Tyler says, is predicting demand throughout the year and determining what new products customers will be excited to try. Yet it’s the people who make the work rewarding.
“Working with customers, meeting new people, and having great staff” are among the things he enjoys most about business ownership.
For Kylee, one of the greatest benefits of owning a business is the flexibility it provides for their family. As parents of three daughters, balancing work and family life is important. In fact, those three daughters inspired the business name itself. R3 stands for Rilynn, Reegan, and Remee.
POWERED BY LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Like any modern business, R3 Meats depends on reliable technology to keep operations running smoothly. From taking customer orders and processing payments to monitoring wireless thermostats throughout the facility, dependable communications services play a vital role in day-to-day operations.
With internet, phone, and managed Wi-Fi services from Dakota Central, R3 Meats stays connected and efficient. Tyler and Kylee especially appreciate having local support available whenever they need assistance.
“It’s so nice to have a technician come right away when we need help, instead of contacting a call center and not knowing who you’re talking to,” Kylee explained.
Tyler also noted how helpful Dakota Central technicians were in connecting wireless thermostats in the freezer and integrating other connected devices throughout the facility.
Looking Ahead
Now that the renovation is complete and business is booming, Tyler and Kylee are thinking about what the future holds for R3 Meats, which includes expanding their offerings and introducing new products. Tyler added, “if the right opportunity came along, we’d love to open another retail location.”
As R3 Meats continues to grow, Tyler and Kylee are committed to carrying on the reputation of providing quality products and great customer service. We can all agree that having access to local, high-quality meat is a great thing for our community, and paired with their passion and dedication, the future looks bright for R3 Meats and the customers they serve!
