OUR STORY

In the beginning

The beginning of this story starts with Lauren as a produce farmer and Peter as an executive chef.

Lauren was helping manage Sweetland Farm (Norwich, VT) and Peter was the opening executive chef of a new restaurant in the Royalton, VT area. Our first introduction was when we sat down to discuss produce availability and purchases from the farm to the restaurant. We hit it off immediately and while our professional relationship grew through our time working together (Lauren also began working at the restaurant), our personal relationship blossomed as well.

Very early on, we passed time in the kitchen while having "off the cuff" conversations about a "one day" farm-based business. Before we knew it, these conversations became more real and we started drafting a business plan - a business that was designed to fill a gap in our market, feed the people, and satisfy our passion for food and food systems.

Six months later, we had a completed business plan for a small butcher shop and we were working with a mentor from the SCORE program to tweak the details and hunker down at the ideal location. This is when our mentor, Juan Florin, made the introduction to the Friends of the Brownsville General Store, an LLC formed of approximately 40 residents of Brownsville, looking to make a social investment in the reopening of their vacant general store.

In May of 2018, we signed a lease with the Friends of the Brownsville General Store, to rent the building from them for 3 years, at cost (real estate taxes, insurance, utilities, etc.), and purchase the building from them by the end of year 3 (again, at cost), or pay a predetermined rent.

Remodeling

Once the lease was signed, the Friends of the Brownsville General Store provided the freedoms to the Butcher & Pantry to remodel the building based on our business model needs, infrastructure requirements, and approved budgets. It was an intensive 6 months, during which time the heating and cooling infrastructure was replaced, water and electrical was replaced, the entire southern frame of the building was reconstructed due to previous rot, the building was reinsulated and resided, and the entire interior was gutted and rebuilt.

The "heavy lifting" was completed by hired contractors (i.e. framing, electrical, plumbing, alarm systems), but Peter and Lauren, along with their family, friends and neighbors, put in countless hours to make that 6 months go by as fast as possible.

The First Year

The Brownsville Butcher & Pantry opened its doors on November 20, 2018. Being in a small town and having a lot of built up anticipation of the opening, encouraged us to provide a soft opening/open house event. We sampled some items from our café menu and had very limited retail items available for sale, but the idea was more to provide our community the opportunity to just view the space and interact with staff and neighbors.

We quickly learned the importance of adapting to our environment and being creative (something Lauren and Peter were both able to bring from their previous experiences). When our retail shelves did not arrive in time for opening, due to a snow storm, one of our employees began unpacking boxes of goods and displaying them "bodega-style" and the following day, Peter drove to the warehouse where the shelves were being stored and picked them up in his car.

Running and operating a business is not a small or easy feat, and the first year was certainly the hardest. Everything was new, and no real systems were in place yet, so the mental exhaustion kind of took a harder toll than the physical exhaustion of working 12-14 hour days, 7 days per week. That being said, it was so rewarding to nurture this idea, and put in the effort to build this sense of place and a sense of purpose, for ourselves, our staff and our community.

Just past our one year anniversary is when the COVID pandemic reared its ugly head. We had to let go of any systems or "normalities" we had built in the previous year and everyday became a new learning opportunity - it was truly time to sink or swim. This quick evolution has continued to be the backbone of our small market - incorporating new ideas, keeping things fresh and exciting, while maintaining our philosophy of building a strong local economy.

COVID Times

Not being in a large metropolitan area, the idea of COVID crept in slowly. When reality began to set in, we - and our community - acted fast to stay safe. In early March, we began offering curbside pickup and delivery services to any immunocompromised people within a small radius. This quickly turned into a reduction of hours, ramping up our curbside program. Finally, at the end of March, we closed our doors to the public.

However, behind those doors we were hard at work putting together programs to keep our friends and families fed! We built out an online order form to use, where our customers could request a grocery list - and we would act as consultants to meet their needs. Our first big development was grocery bundles - a great package of groceries for either a meal idea, or to fill the whole pantry. Shortly after, we built out a Meat CSA and ramped up production on pre-made food. This was a fantastic way for the chefs to have a little fun, and make some incredible meals that were ready to heat-and-eat. Our bakery was still churning, and the pre-order for weekend pickup for bagels, cinnamon rolls, and the rest of our goodies was hotly anticipated.

It was May when we opened our store back up again, but there were a lot of changes. The café was fully closed, just making prepared food for takeout. Masks were required, and we had a strict limit on the maximum number of people in the store. It was a trying time, but it was incredible to see the support of our community as we adapted to the ever-changing situation.

As the weather got warmer, we began to move outside, and started one of our favorite (and lasting) traditions: the Curbside Cookout. With masks and distance, we were able to see our friends again - outside! On Friday nights, we would grill in the parking lot with cold beer, tasty meats, and live music. It was so much fun, we’ve kept it going when the weather is good! As the months got colder, we brought the idea inside with our Supper Club. These were pre-order themed dinner packages, and we went to a new cuisine every week. These featured ramen, birria tacos, pierogi, and so many more delicious dishes we wouldn’t normally get to make & serve.

Slowly, elements of normality returned. Masks left, and came back, but our doors were able to remain open. Eventually, in keeping with State & Federal guidelines, we were able to make masks fully optional - and it was such a joy to see everyone’s faces again. With the cafe open, and the ability to enjoy a donut and a cup of coffee at the counter, our regular breakfast club was able to return.

The incredible thing that the COVID pandemic showed us was that by working together, we were able to strengthen our community network to an impressive level. By purchasing meat from local farmers (literally within 30 miles or so), we never experienced any shortages, and were able to consistently have staples available. Our wonderful farmer friends were able to stay abundant, and working in an interconnected fashion, everyone was able to carry on. Of course, this was all able to happen due to the support of our friends and family, and we are eternally grateful for helping us thrive!

Present Day

In the post-pandemic era, we are fully operational. The café is available on a first-come first-served basis, with some indoor (and outdoor, weather permitting) seating available. Ready-to-eat food is still being made, which is as seasonal as the state: sandwiches and salads in the summer, with heartier take & bake fare in the colder months. Our deli is still sourcing from local producers, and our produce is coming from our farmer friends.

We have continued to reinvest in the store - adding on a substantial addition behind the café in 2021/22. This was an outdoor walk-in cooler & freezer, as well as a bit of extra room to put the smoker outside. Shifting these things around allowed for a larger oven setup, as well as an extra flat-top grill in the café. New coolers, espresso tech, tables, and so much more have been added and planned to make the store as fun & functional as possible - and we’re not stopping any time soon.

Come in and see for yourself!