I believe in supporting locally owned businesses.
As much as possible, I eat at non-chain restaurants. I also try to buy local grocery items when I can to support the area farmers and food producers.
So it’s not a surprise that I really love Local Harvest Grocery and Cafe.
If I live in the Tower Grove area, I would shop at this store every week and be a regular in the cafe. As it stands, I pop in when I’m in the area.
Just last week I stopped into the grocery and purchased milk, eggs, bagels, nan bread and cream cheese. All locally produced.
If I had known about the Bucket Brigade when they moved from the original store to a larger location down the street, I would have been in that line. Talk about a truly green way to move your business!
I know the video says it is 10 minutes (yes…very long), but if you watch the first couple of minutes, you’ll get the gist of how they pulled off this move without driving all of the inventory down the street.
Local Harvest Needs Your Help:
I just received this email from the owners of Local Harvest. They need to raise $120,000 by February 7 in order to stay open. They are asking customers (or future customers) to purchase gift cards to be used in the future in the grocery or cafe.
If they raise the money and can stay open, you will be helping save a business important to health of our city. If they can’t raise enough money to stay open, your credit card won’t be charged.
Please join me and help save a business that provides jobs, healthy food and a sense of community to our city.
Dear Local Harvest Family and Friends-
We are writing to tell you that we are in trouble and need your help. In June 2007, we opened our first location, a tiny 600 square foot space, with big dreams. Our mission was to build a local food community that would benefit area farmers, the neighborhood, the region and our employees. Each step we took was to further that mission.
Along the way, we’ve had issues and setbacks and somehow have always pulled through. 2013 though, brought several large blows from which we have not been able to recover—mostly these stem from the opening and quick closure of the location in Kirkwood. We now find ourselves in a place we never wanted to be—we are facing imminent closure of all of our businesses in the next couple of weeks if we cannot solve our financial problems.
We, the owners, have stuck with the businesses because we feel that they are important for the neighborhood, the farming community and our staff despite receiving only very occasional pay for our work. We’ve now exhausted all personal resources and are hopeful you will believe that Local Harvest is worth saving.
Has Local Harvest helped create a stronger local food community? Has your neighborhood benefitted from Local Harvest Grocery and Cafes? How would your life be different if we no longer existed?
We, along with our employees and others in the community have developed the following ways you can help. By February 7, we need to raise $120,000. That number seems big but like most “big” goals, spread among many, it is achievable.
1. Buy a gift certificate to be redeemed in early 2015. We will add 10% to the amount. If you buy a $100 gift certificate, it will be worth $110. If you buy a $500 gift certificate, it will be worth $550. $1,000 will get $1,100.
2. Buy a year-long punch card. For $100 you will get a punch card good for $10 a month at our cafes for 12 months. (a $120 value).
If you purchase in store, we will not run your credit card or spend your cash until we reach our goal, but you will receive your punch card or certificate. Or, you can purchase online at: https://squareup.com/market/
local-harvest We will refund your money if we do not reach our goal. If we reach our goal, we will mail the punch card or certificate to those using the online payment link.
We want Local Harvest to stay open. We want to continue supporting our farmers and vendors. We want to keep providing meaningful jobs for our fantastic employees. We want our local food community to continue and thrive. We have had the privilege of serving an amazing family of customers for the last seven years, we have built wonderful relationships with you, and we want to be here for you for years to come.
Opening and running Local Harvest has been one of the greatest experiences of our lives. Thank you, as always, for your support and belief that LOCAL MATTERS.
Sincerely,
Patrick Horine and Maddie Earnest
