For more than seven decades, Ray’s Sausage Co. has been a culinary landmark in Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. Founded in 1952 by Raymond C. Cash Sr., the family business still operates at 3146 E. 123rd St., where the secret spice blend that defines its souse meat is guarded as closely as a family heirloom.
Family legacy and secret seasoning
President Renee Marilyn Cash, who began working at the shop as a pre‑teen, says the company’s top seller is its souse meat – a traditional cold‑cut made from pig snout, tongue and ears, seasoned with a proprietary blend crafted in‑house. Her daughter, Leslie Cash‑Lester, the executive administrator, adds that the recipe is known only to the two of them, likening the secrecy to protecting personal financial information.
The family’s dedication to the craft is evident in every step of production. Pork is cooked on‑site, ground, mixed with the secret seasoning, and molded into loaves that chill in a cooler, filling the plant with a savory aroma that has become familiar to generations of Cleveland diners.
Overcoming adversity
Ray’s Sausage has survived challenges that would have shuttered many small businesses. Only about 3 % of U.S. businesses are owned by Black entrepreneurs, and fewer than 12 % of family‑owned firms reach a third generation. In the early 2000s, the city mistakenly blamed the shop for foul odors that actually originated from serial killer Anthony Sowell’s adjacent property. The misattribution forced costly sewer and plumbing repairs and caused a sales slump that took roughly five years to recover.
Cash and Cash‑Lester estimate the fallout cost the business at least $400,000 – funds that could have financed a move to a larger facility and expanded national and international distribution.
From Southern roots to Cleveland tradition
Ray Cash Sr. migrated from Macon, Georgia, after World II service and brought Southern souse‑meat traditions to a predominantly Hungarian‑Italian neighborhood. He learned the craft from a German‑heritage butcher and adapted it with Southern flair, creating a product that quickly became a favorite among Cleveland’s growing Black community.
After his death in 1977, his wife Thelma Lowe Cash kept the shop running, and later generations continued the tradition. Both of Cash’s daughters, Leslie and Lisa, earned degrees from Wilberforce University before joining the family operation, eventually taking on roles that range from spice‑mixing to sausage‑link production.
Community love and lasting appeal
Long‑time customers like Ranie Dixon swear by the souse meat, ordering it by the pound and enjoying it on crackers with cheese. The product has been featured on national television, including a 2016 episode of “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern,” and is stocked at regional retailers such as Giant Eagle, Dave’s Market, and Marc’s.
Today, Ray’s Sausage offers a full line of products – pork and beef souse meat, pork and beef sausage, and various links – all still made with the same family‑guarded spices that have defined the brand since its inception.
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
