I’ve realized that I have not been documenting my adventuring in building a local food shop in Williamsburg, Virginia. This has consumed me night and day for the past several months and we are now at a major transition point. In February of 2016 we will reopen the shop as LOKAL and PRAKTICE after extensive renovation.

Why am I doing this? The primary reason was to become a local business owner making something and selling it. If combined with my passion for cooking it starts to look like a local food store or a restaurant. I’m too old for a restaurant…so now I have a local food store.

In May 2015, a local yogurt shop owner, Julie Hess, told me she wanted to sell her business as she and her husband were moving to California. The shop is on a busy street near Colonial Williamsburg and across the street from the College of William & Mary. So after negotiations, I purchased the business and signed a lease on the shop 445 Prince George Street in Williamsburg, Virginia.

A Summary of 2015

• July – purchased berrybody frozen yogurt and yoga
• August – set up berrybody.com and Facebook
• September – began to use Old Church Creamery yogurt
• October – began to test bread baking at home
• November – applied for permit to sell bread baked at home
• December – received approval for bread
• December – health department permit to expand menu
• January 2016 – began reconstruction

Pictures of our Past

 

My first day on the job….

 

Outside the shop on a sunny day…

Yogurt, Smoothies, Soup and Bread….

Most of our food was corporate until I started making soup, bread and the frozen yogurt from Old Church Creamery.  My leaving berrybody behind…is a big step and one that is a risk.  What if people don’t like our recipes?  Or it takes too long to make.   What if I can’t make enough quickly?  These are all valid concerns that I don’t have good answers to.  So for now, I’m holding my nose and jumping in.