The Local Grocer - Downtown Flint
By Elizabeth Brady-Marasco
Featured in Kudos Special Edition 2016
That vision has become a reality with the debut of their new store, The Local Grocer, at the corner of M.L. King and University avenues, just north of downtown Flint. The store opened in December and celebrated its grand opening in February.
Before opening the stand-alone store, The Local Grocer built a large and loyal following at the Flint Farmers Market, selling produce and jars of small batch, seasonal fruit jam among other products. They also discovered their customers were hungry for other locally made and locally grown foods.
The store offers the space for Caudell and Pleasant to expand their offerings, collaborating with other small businesses and local farms. The Local Grocer offers multiple Michigan-made products, such as raw, all natural honey from Withers Mountain Honey Farm in Flint and organic grass-fed beef, all natural pork, chicken, rabbit, duck, lamb and elk from Michigan farmers and ranchers. The new store also sells healthy ready-to-eat items made from local produce and other goods stocked in the store, such as kohlrabi/carrot/apple salad and ginger apple juice and ginger mint juice. The store also makes and sells its own ricotta cheese and yogurt.
“Flint is our home,” Caudell said. “Throughout our lives and careers we have chosen different ways to give back to our community. Nourishing Flint with healthy food and contributing to a healthier economy is something we are both passionate about.”
Before he was a grocer, Pleasant worked in the Flint community as graphic designer and community advocate. Caudell worked at Applewood for many years as
well as helping start edible flint to support community members in growing their own food.
The Local Grocer brings customers as close as possible to the farm
to fork philosophy. It takes a lot
of planning to provide fresh farm produce all year round.
Caudell and Pleasant have a farm in Beecher and are adding another hoophouse, an unheated greenhouse, to grow more winter vegetables. They also are planning this year’s crop rotations with local farm partners to expand the quantity and variety of produce offered.
Featured in Kudos Special Edition 2016
The Local Grocer
Lifelong Flint residents Erin Caudell and Franklin Pleasant had a vision of giving Flint residents an opportunity to purchase locally grown produce, without pesticides or petroleum-based fertilizers.
That vision has become a reality with the debut of their new store, The Local Grocer, at the corner of M.L. King and University avenues, just north of downtown Flint. The store opened in December and celebrated its grand opening in February.Before opening the stand-alone store, The Local Grocer built a large and loyal following at the Flint Farmers Market, selling produce and jars of small batch, seasonal fruit jam among other products. They also discovered their customers were hungry for other locally made and locally grown foods.
The store offers the space for Caudell and Pleasant to expand their offerings, collaborating with other small businesses and local farms. The Local Grocer offers multiple Michigan-made products, such as raw, all natural honey from Withers Mountain Honey Farm in Flint and organic grass-fed beef, all natural pork, chicken, rabbit, duck, lamb and elk from Michigan farmers and ranchers. The new store also sells healthy ready-to-eat items made from local produce and other goods stocked in the store, such as kohlrabi/carrot/apple salad and ginger apple juice and ginger mint juice. The store also makes and sells its own ricotta cheese and yogurt.
A store-wide water filtration system ensures everything is made safely and healthfully.
“Flint is our home,” Caudell said. “Throughout our lives and careers we have chosen different ways to give back to our community. Nourishing Flint with healthy food and contributing to a healthier economy is something we are both passionate about.”Before he was a grocer, Pleasant worked in the Flint community as graphic designer and community advocate. Caudell worked at Applewood for many years as
well as helping start edible flint to support community members in growing their own food.
The Local Grocer brings customers as close as possible to the farm
to fork philosophy. It takes a lot
of planning to provide fresh farm produce all year round.
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