Dirty Words & Muddy Musings

Part I - “Give Care Out There”

One of the rewards of being a corner shopkeeper and community connector has been being trusted with the responsibility of engaging nearby neighborhoods about the McKinley Community Urban Farm this season. With this has come new understanding about scarcity, abundance, and the very fine line of timing between the two.

At mid-summer, we were not as far from winter as usual since this last one was extra-long and snow-deeply drawn out. This delayed the appearance and readiness of edible vegetables. While we started selling “early bird” CSA subscriptions back in February, it seemed like eons before we could get to market with a sizable share of anything. And we heard this from members too who wondered with disappointment “Why are we not eating summer style yet?”. And this was just a couple of weeks ago.

It’s like this “inquiry” came from a mentality of scarcity, something familiar to us all, right? We want what we want when we want it, and sometimes we forget about natural rhythms and cycles and then make things seem urgent. We forget that we get what we need when we need it, but when we do remember, we cross the fine line of feeling things are scare and urgent and become aware that there is abundance in ourselves and all around.

The actual expression of this in the analogy above is that within one week’s time, things in the garden changed dramatically. Northside growers from Cleveland, Folwell, Hawthorne, Jordan, as well as McKinley experienced crop ripening at about the same time. Luckily, this network of cultivators had already agreed to work collaboratively to bundle and sell locally, and together we have done our best to prepare the marketplace – people and businesses – to use and incorporate northside-grown produce at their retail locations or on the dinner table. Still, we have more of some goods and greens than we can readily off load.

I am getting used to how life is and the pendulum swing between feeling like there’s too little and the overwhelm of having too much. Individually we each have enough even if it seems like our basic needs are not being met. 

The truth is that there is always just the right amount and that each and every one of us has enough. We just have to notice, cultivate, and pass our abundance along to others.

Kindness and gratitude are limitless and each of us can find a plentiful supply that we can pay forward. Our job is to recognize our assets and share the goodness we do have. We do not need to act out our fears, struggles, or stress at the expense of others. I recognize that I bounce between scarcity and abundance more than I would like, though I am reassured to know that this is human nature and that my feelings are shared by all.

Last week, I heard someone read Alice Walker’s poem “Going out to the garden” and I am reminded of the great honor there is accepting the responsibility of being a corner keeper, friend, and neighbor in McKinley. Through simple welcoming acts to people and tending to the nearby common space, I get to “give care out there” (an important distinction from “taking care”) and that is more than enough for me to feel nourished by others, help them and connect with them when opportunities arise, and to give away anything extra that I do have. Please join me when and if you can.

Thank you for your time.

Kelley

Special events are single-use

I like people and I often get complimented on remembering people, their names, preferences, and what they’ve been up to. My desire to make lasting connections comes naturally and is something that was a huge help while I was in fundraising, an f-word to some for sure. Why? Because many people think asking others for their time or money doesn’t have tangible benefit if it doesn’t have a material good associated with it. The funny thing is that people like to be asked to be included in things because they feel valued. 

It has never been a problem for me to ask someone to invest in a resource or social issue that aids our common welfare, and there are basically two ways to go about this: 1) one-time, give now because something is urgent or in short supply; 2) become a regular or sustaining patron, showing up many times so that something can become a reliable resource for you and your community.

In my opinion, the latter should be the default relationship and the former should be “in addition to.” It is more efficient and earnest to ask people to support everyday services, businesses, and organizations because “one hit wonders” cost extra time, planning, money, and material goods. While I have been invigorated by the special events I have produced and was proud of their unique appeal and accessibility, I also came to know how much easier and rewarding relations are through consistent interaction vs. inviting people to come out for one big wow. This was an evolution of my experience and thinking.

Also, events do not form good habits in the way that doing something every day can teach us to be part of an economy and community and not just be a blip on some chart. We need to be guided by everyday principles and partake in activities that make our village whole, for this is how people, neighborhoods, and businesses survive – by consistent, positive, participation not just on special occasions.

A troubling marketplace trend I have noticed is the ritual of shopping nearby for the things we need is being turned on end by flash sales, pop-ups, and glitzy, event-type hype. These one day only affairs are happening all the time and all over the place, so much so that it seems impossible to do anything more than jump from one to the other, making little remaining time to be part of things in our immediate, walkable vicinity.

Recently, I came across the aftermath of Open Streets on Lyndale and it was yucky. The values of Open Streets (using alternative transportation and getting to know local businesses and neighbors*) was overtaken by what people drinking and out for a disposable good time left in the wake of themselves – litter all over empty streets and low-volume patronage of businesses the next day.

Categorically, special events are wasteful and single-use. Maybe you have guessed that what I’m getting at is that we can all do better by going local on an everyday basis. We do not need flash, scarcity, or price reduction to get us to prioritize knowing our shopkeepers, neighborhood businesses, and activist organizations and who they employ and have as volunteers.

They are the fabric of our local network and economy and they count on us to keep coming back and investing in the village.

We may need help refocusing toward this standard. Stay tuned for more about a “go local” program that is in the works and is designed to incentivize purchasing from local growers, makers, and small businesses along one of north Minneapolis’ business districts.

Thanks for reading and take good care,

Kelley

*As a positive aside, Folwell Neighborhood Association calls Folwell Park its headquarters for committee meetings, Board activities, neighborhood night and other fun, togetherness activities. At their recent resource fair and ice cream social, the organizers should be commended for attention to waste reduction, waste management, and utilizing public space to for regular, recurring neighborhood interaction and togetherness.

The only thing disposable here is the commercial-grade waffle maker

In the 70s and 80s, product advertisements boasted when things were  “American made.” This was before outsourcing and when overseas labor & manufacturing became the norm for increasing corporate profit margins. Among many other things, as a result of this quality has suffered and the marketplace is filled with cheaply made, disposable, one-time use, and throwaway things – a stark contrast to the “built to last” values of not so long ago.

The frustrating reality is that the short lives of consumer products is not limited to stuff purposefully made for single use. More and more, we are steered toward “buy today, gone tomorrow” products which historically have not been thought of that way (e.g. clothing, communications & entertainment devices, and here, commercial grade equipment). (Read more about this phenomenon in “Is Your Stuff Falling Apart? Thank Walmart”). Unfortunately, even with our awareness of big brand negligence, not much is changing; low-price leaders still command what happens in retail and suck a majority of consumer dollars.

Small businesses are an antidote to this kind of corporate crime and they are doing their best to be reliable and relevant by offering quality goods and noticeably better customer service. Serendripity Spot opened in a residential, underserved community with the hope that coffee might perk up the neighborhood (pun intended), and to see how our practice of not using single-use disposables* would go over on a small scale in a disposable heavy industry.

By and large, we claim our currency is community engagement and meaningful conversation. Yet, we do have expenses, and being in food service, there are health code requirements for commercial grade equipment. For us, this included shelling out $395 for a waffle maker, which turned out to be money well spent because five months after opening, we were we rated as serving the number one waffle in the Twin Cities (yay, a new standard of quality to keep!). Just after this accolade was issued, our Waring waffle maker was on the fritz, beeping, buzzing, and not cooking correctly. The manufacturer offers a one-year warranty and they made a replacement but at a cost of $50 for shipping.

When the next maker came, the same thing happened. While we have a quality waffle that people love and come back for, we only serve a handful a week, and for that, we expect a commercial-grade Waring brand product to keep up.

Since opening on September 24, 2016 through the arrival of our third maker, we served about 300 wonderful waffles, making each and every one with creativity and care. The curiosity is that it has taken three commercial-grade waffle makers to get us here (read more about other customer experiences here). Huh, you say? We say it too. How can it be that Waring’s Double Belgium Waffle Maker is only managing making about 150 waffles? Waring’s parent company is Conair and we feel like we’ve been conned (another intended pun). The equipment is used per operating instructions and we are attentive to care and maintenance, so why is this heavy equipment operating like a lightweight?

If you answer greed and indifference, you might be on to something. And, if you had enough of it, there is a “Right to Repair” movement which challenges lawmakers to require that [mostly electronic] products have replacement parts and manuals available so repairs at least possible.

Other solutions, answers, and antidotes lie in the durability and reliability of people. We can all commit to buying locally made products and those with lifetime guarantees – it is a start and a step and one which we can all take.

Thank you for reading and have a durable & delightful day.

*Serendripity Spot prioritizes being truly zero waste. We are completely package free and all food components and consumer goods come in and out via returnable, refillable containers. We do not throw anything away as trash or even recycling.

Lend your voice to Minneapolis’ revisioning plans for 2020

I didn’t know what would happen when I opened the coffee shop on the corner of 33rd & Lyndale North. At a minimum, I hoped to get away with being truly zero waste (different than zero waste to landfill) in a disposable-heavy coffee industry. A small retail location in a residential area seemed about the right size to try, and a year and a half later, it has proven doable and even given confidence in more ways than one.

My fingers were also crossed that people would gravitate and use the shop as a third space, and as has happened, being here has also been a way to see micro and macro level changes in the McKinley Community, nearby neighborhoods, and the governance landscape of Minneapolis overall. With a deadline of April 30th for public comment looming, this post is meant to encourage everyone to add their opinion about the structure of Neighborhood Associations. Please set aside a little time to email [email protected] soon, and feel free to use any content that you find helpful here…

Something that keeps coming up is the role that corner shops have in serving as neighborhood hubs – think mercantiles, general stores, Mr. Hooper, etc. Today, while many corner locations have become mini marts, others are stalwart in doing business not as grab ‘n go, but as enterprise with full service in mind -- places where trade or market demand is paired with natural talent and usefulness to community. Serendripity Spot is an example in that it has become the de facto community living room where people meet and greet one another, sip and sit for a while, eat made-to-order light bites from produce grown in the gardens out back, and find out what’s going on in the lives and doings of others. What happens here is personal and that is a good thing – everything here is made, grown, sewn, crafted, painted, written, donated, etc. by people you know.

Intentional organization like this is and has been happening on the Northside. Check out Houston White’s vision for a Webber-Camden hub recently featured in the Star Tribune, the Goddess of Glass in Victory (see p. 8 in the 3/29/18 issue of North News), Homewood Studios in Harrison, and of course, “the Corner Store Co-op” (Wirth) in Willard-Hay, just to name a few.

From “liquid networking” at our coffeehouse to barbershops and creative spaces, we hope the City will look at new ideas about how and where people naturally gather and get to know each other, become role models, and just hang out and belong. Social entrepreneurs are showing ways that look a lot different than community meetings focused on single issues or pet projects, and/or Associations made up of Board Members who tend to be the “über doers” in the neighborhood – which are standards that sometimes overshadow other kinds of leadership and participation. 

Probably, the City needs some of both, so we urge you to point the City toward a design plan that blends some municipal standardization with flexibility to innovatively gather and create programs in ways unique and responsive to the community being served.

If you are interested in reviewing our talking points about Neighborhoods 2020, please click here. 

And, as always, thanks for reading!

With peace, love, and togetherness from your corner shopkeeper,

Kelley

There’s no “knead” to write new stuff when others have communicated what’s been on my mind. So, for this post, check out the snippets below and let me know how the connections sit with you. 

With loaves of peace, love, and a desire for food justice & togetherness from this modern hippie, please read on…

“Frustrated with the Vietnam War, The Man, and the general state of the nation, hippies set out to do everything differently. They founded rural communes, dabbled in psychedelics and cultivated a laissez-faire approach to personal hygiene. But, like everyone else in the world, they had to eat…Mainstream fare — Wonder Bread and frozen vegetables — clashed with their politics. So they explored and invented new foods, then enthusiastically shared their creations…[bringing] organic vegetables and whole wheat bread into the counterculture, and then, eventually, mainstream supermarkets.” -- From an NPR story about Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat

Super-soon after coming across that, I heard this from an earth mama and longtime northsider: “Back then, we were part of the food health and wealth movement; it’s time to get back to that again” [paraphrased]. Which inspired me to search for background information about the health food movement in communities of color. I found an article from the African American Intellectual History Society helpful. Here’s an excerpt:

“While it was really the predominantly white counterculture of the latter part of the ‘60s that brought natural foods to mainstream consumers’ and media’s attention…Many Black natural foods advocates were involved in the Black nationalist and Black Power movements. Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad encouraged his followers to eat fruit, vegetables, and whole-wheat bread and urged them to minimize their meat intake and to avoid foods made with chemical fertilizers, preservatives, and pesticides.”

With the huge and obvious influence of Dick Gregory in the food justice movement, combined with his recent death, this tribute gives a wonderful summary of his life and work.

A food revolution is happening here and now in North Minneapolis, and at its her are community leaders of color. For me, what white did not get right in what they are credited for sprouting in the earthiness of the 60s, maybe the urban farmers and activists of today will succeed and find lasting effect in changing our local and national food habitude.

Question: has it come time to rid “capital P” Power of pinnacle privilege, personality, and profit? Can it be pronounced of purpose, peace, and the people instead? Wethinks so and we’re counting on you to think so too. Let’s let 2017 be the rock bottom of how much “small d” democratic power has been lost to “capital C” Corporate interests, and do something to stem the tide against the advantages big business and industry has over consumers. Let’s emphasize wealth and health, not wealth over health. 

Sometimes it seems insurmountable to think the populace has enough leverage to turn the ship around, but “small p” power has to come back to the people. If not, we are trapped in their vicious cycle. 

To do so, we might give another good look at the center of us all -  the common good - and purposely create more virtuous circles of manageable size where it’s possible to see the community benefit directly by our marketplace decisions – by us, of us, and for us. 

Our purchasing power has shrunk because too much of what we do have is spent out of area (see 1:15-9:50 on the video link), at big box stores, or Fortune 500 companies, of which Amazon, Costco, CVS, Home Depot, Walgreens, Walmart, and Wells Fargo are all in the top 25. If you find yourself shopping “out there,” is there a locally-owned place where you can find what you’re looking for instead? 

While we still have a way to go, there are new Northside businesses popping up and many more that have been around for a while. If we have a few dollars to spend, let’s make point of investing at places where our neighbors and friends are owners, operators, and workers.

“Big P,” People do hold onto one side of the marketplace tug of war, and if every single one of us pulled back a little more and put our earnings into our community and immediate economy as much as possible, we will feel a difference. Research shows when we spend money within the community, it gets multiplied and recycled amongst people we know and how great is that?! It sure feels good and has importance, measure, and reward too.

So, let the New Year usher in hope through new and improved “habitudes.” For some, this might mean building and improving resources to benefit those already here. For others, it might mean changing habits of where they shop and what they buy. And for others still, it might mean saying “yes” for the first time in a while to being part of local events and goodwill projects. If we excuse ourselves by saying we don’t have enough or we don’t belong, we lose meaning and purpose. We can do even more to activate and strengthen the Northside economy that is “small p” powered by the “big P” People, and that should feel good, attainable, and shareable.

Grow local, go local, buy local.

With warmth and gratitude,

Kelley

There is a swell of excitement about food justice in north Minneapolis. It is palpable and the movement is populated with people ready to work hard and do whatever it takes to connect everyone – and we mean every single person –  who lives, learns, and earns on the northside to food that is grown, made, and sold locally. 

Some of the best things about keeping shop in the McKinley Community building, adjacent to the neighborhood association’s urban farm are 1) making space for ad hoc conversations where people naturally convene (over coffee); 2) being a hub to hear and hold similar ideas that are popping up all over north; 3) being nimble and responsive as an independent social enterprise to support opportunities as they arise; and 4) having time to help advance pathways that do not currently exist. 

On this last point, what follows is an outline of an idea offered up to others for adjustment, supplementation, and collaboration.

First, it is motivating to be in the midst of leaders and affiliates from the North Minneapolis Community Food Systems Grant Program, Northpoint, Northside Fresh Coalition, Pillsbury United Communities, and many, many more who are working to create a grassroots-informed food system. Where food production and access have been a main driver of conversations so far, some are steering the discussion toward preparing the consumer base to participate more fully in the local food movement.

The opening of fresh food markets, like North Market and Wirth Co-op, are breaking down barriers to access and are undoubtedly a tremendous resource. As these stores open, do we need to ask if enough attention is being paid to whether enough residents will be ready and interested in spending their dollars at the places we hope they do? And, do we need to think beyond farmer’s markets and the above-named stores for places that people can go to make wholesome purchases? Perhaps we should focus attention on mini markets and independent businesses too.

At the “Full Harvest: Gathering together to sow a healthy, equitable, just food system” workshop, several key ideas stood out about “corner store conversions,” non-food businesses being “good food neighbors,” “values-based purchasing,” and building “multiplier values” within the marketplace. Perhaps there is a way to readily amplify what already exists in the hyperlocal marketplace and pair it up philanthropic and activist interests.

In “What To Do About Crave Nation?”, I thought about ways a “buy local” ethic could appeal to and motivate more people on the northside. To further those thoughts, and in an attempt to uphold multiplier values and counteract disparity on a small scale, is to create build upon an incentive program which might look something like this:

1)    Gather ideas from people not yet heard from. How and where do they shop and why? What is missing in our local marketplaces and what can be improved? What entices people to try something new? (In designing this program, it is important to figure out how to reach the “non-converted” and how information can be elicited and captured outside of markets, nonprofit agencies, and healthcare facilities where surveys are already collected. Maybe going door-to-door or teaming up with neighborhood associations to help?)

2)    Find funding for start-up costs and incentive dollars (up to $7,500 est.) to “NoMi” debit card or currency.

3)    Map small business and food retail resources (already underway).

4)    Determine the criteria for healthy expenditures at corner marts and other cross-sectional outlets (for instance, if someone wants to make a purchase at a convenience store with NoMi currency, cigarettes, soda, and snack foods might not be eligible options). It might be a good idea to endcap or sticker pre-certified items, making sure not to over-complicate selection and procedure.

5)    Accept/invite participating businesses to reflect northside demographics (49% African or African-American, 15% Asian, 19% White and 10% Hispanic)[1], so that if 30 businesses participated, then half would be African or African-American owned, 7-8 Asian owned; 5-6 white owned, 3 Hispanic, etc.*

6)    Create currency system, debit card, or supplement already existing program (e.g. Northpoint’s Rx plan) and deploy.

Following a design model, the above activities can be undertaken simultaneously and evaluated and amended along the way.

*The entire pilot of this program could be based in affirmative action so that card purchases are also disseminated/made available according to demographic preference. The idea being to test how people respond to purchasing power made equitable according to population representation. Ex: If 100 cards are sold (49 African or African-American people/families, 15 to Asian people/families, 19 to White people/families, 10 to Hispanic people/families) each representing $25 in purchases with four reloads possible would means $10,000 spread to 30 businesses in combined personal and philanthropically-supported purchasing power.

Across our nation and in our neighborhoods, it has become the norm to seek a quick (food) fix or consume things that are grab-n-go. Too often there is not enough time or money to make durable decisions, so we default to disposable, easy-in, easy-out options. And why not? Stuff is available right on the corner, just up the street.

Whether we are talking about fast “food,” “convenient” snack chips and sweets, cigarettes, alcohol, scratch-offs, or any other distraction or mood-alterer, there is no denying the abundance of it. We are subjected to unhealthy, addictive, and irresponsibly marketed products – fast meals, and impulse purchases that are garbage in/garbage out – bad for our bodies, bad for our communities, and bad for the planet.

Some of the problem of accessing healthier choices can be placed on “the system” and corporate food giants, and sometimes small business owners sell way more of the bad stuff than they might like just so they can earn their keep. The dietary balance of Minneapolis’ northside population has been tipped toward fast food establishments and convenience stores, and because these places lack selections with good nutritional value, many parts of the northside have been deemed a food desert or food swamp. 

But things are changing quickly and people we are getting new options like North Market and Wirth Co-op. Particularly (attr)active is the Northside Fresh Coalition which is working as a connector, collaborator, and encourager of growing our own, making our own, and supporting our own. Even so, within this strengthening network of good food in north Minneapolis, could we do even more to promote our local economy and give people added reason to make healthy choices instead of going for lower-priced, “tastier” options?

People walk right by the community cafe to go up to to the corner mart and return with a bag full of chips, candy bars, and pop. Kids do this after school and parents feed their children this way. The bottom line is that cheese puffs still win out over carrots and apples, so we need to be even more creative and competitive in fostering a new food “habitude.”

But how? People talk about local currencies. What if we create a “NoMi debit card,” or other comparable system, redeemable at participating northside businesses for the express purpose of buying healthy and local? And what if we looked beyond food to also include other locally-made products and services so that people could benefit from a wider range of shopping options while turning up their buying power? Furthermore, what if we incentivized these purchases, so if someone loads a card with $20, an additional percentage (say 25%) would be added to the amount of registered goods they can afford? 

Simply stated, this could mean one person’s investment of $20 would be increased to $25 to buy fresh, healthy food, locally made goods, or independent business services. If we sustained this opportunity for several years, would it be enough to change people’s buying and eating habits? I bet there is a grant maker or public agency willing to fund this idea and partial subsidy to help us find out. I have time and experience to research and help build this program or connect to an existing one and could start soon and small…who else is interested and ready to jump on board?

Thanks for reading,

Kelley @Serendripity Spot

Part I - “Corner of Durability”

Most of us are familiar with the slogan “think global, act local,” and we do a good job keeping this as a guiding principle. At Serendripity Spot we act hyper-locally, starting with ourselves and giving space for things to ripple forth. It may go no further than our little corner, and in this peculiar and frenzied world, that is enough.   

At the center of all our activities is the notion of durability, which we think is a direct antidote to disposability. We try to be enduring in relation to people and materials and we want things to be lasting. We believe in making an investment and earning confidence and our keep. We avoid things that are unhealthy, cheap, and poorly made. And, we build and create within the local hub and economy, and do our best to sidestep big brands and low-cost, low-quality goods.

We talk to people and make a point to remember names and to make connections with them about where they live, what motivates them, and what they like to drink or eat. From these friendships, trust blossoms and we find ways to further engage. We want to reliably be here for others who want a comfortable space for creativity, conversation, or just a place to “sip and stay.”

Wethinks it is not too much for one little corner of community to commit to being a model of durability. We believe that “there is no away” and that building a virtuous upcycle is better than a vicious downward spiral. In order to do this, we need friends and neighbors to participate, and they are. Right-size is everything. It is okay to establish limits (grab-and-go is hard to do here), welcome feedback, and be willing to improve.

And so it is that this corner is becoming more sustainable. Together we are not creating excess. Rather we are contributing to resiliency and reusability by getting to know one another and becoming a small section of consumer culture that refills, revisits, and revitalizes together.

Do It Yourself and Zero Waste are the values and behaviors Serendripity Spot brings to doing it “DIZWaY.” This means we are planful and mindful about our carbon footprint as we “business in the solution.” For instance, we use human power as much as possible to get things done instead of relying on the overexertion of fossil-fueled machinery and unnecessary materials that would otherwise turn into pollution and landfill waste. We like to do it DIZWaY and it keeps us strong and right-sized – in other words, resilient!

There is nothing new about doing things by hand or hard labor – before society industrialized this was the way for everyone. People put in a day’s work and went to bed tired and (hopefully) satisfied that they sustained another day with food and shelter for themselves and those they care for. Today we are not as directly tied to growing food and building or repairing things; in large part, we have outsourced our needs thereby losing touch with some of our self-sufficiency.

In this regard, though, it seems like the tide is starting to change. It is exciting and inspiring to be in the midst of the north side’s innovative food re-systeming. Locals are participating at the grassroots level to infuse alternatives and break up parts north deemed a “food desert” and “food swamp.”

Serendripity Spot sits at a comfortable corner where “moving forward into the past” meets with being a true zero waste business. Criteria that we have set for ourselves includes purchasing from hyper-local urban farms and gardeners (in the growing season, we get produce from within mere blocks of our shop), personal shopping for inventory so that we buy only what is needed for the next couple of days, using bicycle power for transportation, making menu items to order (even our own butter and dressing) …doing it DIZWaY, we stay fresh, personable, customizable, and waste free.

In addition to feeling good about how we treat people and the planet, a thrilling and surprising byproduct of doing it DIZWaY is the accolade we received in being named top waffle by Eater Twin Cities, an honor which the food writer tells us was inspired by the 100 percent homemade way we make our unassuming and unbeatable base waffle. We then top each and every one according to your preference of quality, local, and tasty ingredients and flavor combinations, so come on in and try one soon.

With love and thanks,

Modern Day Mr. Hooper

On the television show Sesame Street, Mr. Hooper was many things: inventor, mentor, employer, and friend but I remember him best as a corner shopkeeper, street sweeper, and stoop speaker. He had a place in the neighborhood people could drop by every day and he did things the old-fashioned way. He asked how people were doing, helped them when they needed it, encouraged kindness, did things by hand, and fixed stuff when it was broken. People did not need a reason to come by his store, they just kind of did; some got goods or drinks from the fountain, others just wanted to say hello.

Serendripity Spot, at the corner of 33rd and Lyndale Avenues North, tries to be a little bit “Mr. Hooper.” His store was stocked with jars of ingredients for making birdseed shakes and egg creams alongside newspapers, bulk candy, and other items. Back then there was less packaging of the stuff we buy, and I carry an admiration for those times and a kinship with Mr. Hooper as I move “forward into the past” in the way I do business.

Specifically, I avoid brand names, inflated pricing, and all that darned boxing, bagging, and wrapping. This might be called “precycling,” or eliminating trash before it is created, because if we do not use new plastic, paper, or metal to begin with, we will not have to dispose of it later. Energy, water, and raw materials are also saved when containers are refilled instead of using new.

I am now ready and interested in finding out what folks might like to get from this corner shop in bulk quantities so as to establish a small supply of staple goods that people can pick up and bring home using their own returnable refillable bottles and jars. Serendripity Spot is open to becoming a “mini mercantile” and could sell things like cooking oil, flour, grains, nuts, sugar, spices, and more. Some have already asked about coffee beans and loose leaf tea, and so it seems there may be a ready-made place to start.

There are two new nonprofit grocery stores coming to North Minneapolis and it is exciting to have additional resources that promise to 1) break up the federally designated food desert in this area; 2) be within walking or biking distance from the shop. I can get there easily for things I need to make drinks and snacks, and, if those nearby need to grab a pantry item here and there, Serendripity Spot can have things on hand and be place to service them too.

Visiting and the Art of Conversation

I am a corner shopkeeper in north Minneapolis. Since opening the doors in September people are finding their way in by word of mouth, noticing the sandwich board out front, or searching “coffee shop near me.” No matter how they get here, people find a welcoming hang-out place great for catching up with friends, getting work done, meeting with associates, or kicking back with a book. Serendripity Spot is a creative third space and we hope to meet more neighbors and passers-through as we establish a nook in the McKinley community.

Someone who dropped in early on is Dan from the Camden News Board of Directors. We talked about talking, and during our conversation we were reminded of how people used to “go visiting.” It was a pastime of the way-olden days (think farmsteads or horse-and-buggy) when folks went “somewhere to spend time with someone, such as a friend or relative.” Today, thanks to cars and computer technology, we are kept bubbled, buffered, and too virtually connected; a downside being that it’s easier not to notice how things are with others. We are losing compassion, empathy, and understanding, and instead we are intolerant and engage in trash-talk or worse.

We need to realize we are in this together and counter our separateness with intentional hang-outs and gab sessions. We need to humanize our interactions and find occasions to bump into one another to ask “what’s new?” and then stick around to hear the answer. We grow and learn about ourselves when we listen to others, and we may be able to share or help in some way too.

Just for today, how would it be to go visiting? That might mean crossing the street to greet someone you see every day waiting for the bus. Or it might mean calling on a friend or neighbor you have not seen for a while. Or what about knocking on the door of the people who just moved in? While none of this is new, it seems we need it now more than ever. With the stress and divisiveness all around combined with being hidden behind screen technology, we must be proactive in meeting and greeting or it will not happen with the quantity and quality needed to heal our aching world.

Everyone is welcome at Serendripity Spot and there is no purchase necessary to come in and share space. We have a free library, no-cost Wi-Fi, games and special playing sessions, community news and information, and more. Our forward-into-the-past way is not a tribute to days gone by but rather a modern alternative to haste and waste. We are willing and able to slow down, stay small, and avoid the fast-paced, grab-and-go activity that runs much of our lives. We can also offer a respite from this to you. If you want to jump off, have coffee, and be people together, come on over - here is definitely a place for you. 

Kelley Skumautz

We think taking extra care is kind and good

Serendripity Spot is now open as a hub of coffee, conversation, and conservation in north Minneapolis. It is exciting and a little bit daunting trying to figure out on daily basis what that means, but we do know we are here to be robust, dynamic, organic, and to go with the community flow. We kind of liken ourselves to being the opposite of fast food places (like Popeyes*).

Where grab-and-go businesses don’t seem to mind selling food filled with dangerous additives like sugar, salt, and fat in single-use packaging that tends to end up as litter, Serendripity Spot operates differently: from a heart of conservation and a do-it-yourself point of view.

Menu items are house-made from healthy, whole, and hyper-local ingredients and nothing comes in or out in throw-away packaging. We take time to handcraft each drink or eat from scratch according to customer tastes and preferences, and we appreciate when people come and "sip" for a while.

There are several local vendors who paused long enough in their business as usual to give us “naked” ingredients. 

The conversations with people and companies that bake bread, make condiments, sell sweets, and toast tortilla chips ebbed in and out of understanding of what we are trying to do. After several attempts, we found a great network of suppliers who sell us ingredients in returnable, refillable containers. To them we say, HUMONGOUS thanks in making it possible for Serendripity Spot to be entirely zero waste. And to our customers, we invite you to make a special effort to patronize:

The Beez Kneez for honey, mustard, and other bee-made goods

Cookie Cart for sweet treats made by local youth

New French Bakery for bread, buns, and other sandwich-making items

Seward Community Co-op (their cheese and meat departments are particularly helpful which is why the special shout-out over other co-ops)

Tinto Cocina + Cantina for great south-of-the-border food

Kelley Skumautz, Serendripity Spot

*Popeyes gets picked on because we run across more litter from Popeyes than other fast food joint. The one time we ate there (at the begging of a nephew), we cringed at the wall of orange and red disposables that framed the counter person (who refused to not bag the order). And there was a customer who yelled and cussed at the children she was with while grubbing on chicken, making us and everyone else there uncomfortable. At this visit, Popeyes seemed a place of demoralization and distraction and a perfect example of the tie between crappy food and crappy behavior. But to be fair Popeyes was rated C+ or better by a nutritional website, so this rant is strictly conjecture.

What role can a coffee house play in stimulating dialogue?

I like people and hearing about what they have going on – their joys, cares, and concerns alike. I learn from them and am often able to connect to something that is going on in my life. I also enjoy being helpful, and I am honored to be invited to participate in something or to be asked for assistance. Similarly, I am getting better at asking for help when I need it.

I learned a lot about the art of conversation working with members and donors during my years in the nonprofit sector. I feel that opening a social enterprise/coffee shop is a natural extension of how I have learned to live in the solution and connect with others.

Particularly, I want to explore how a retail space can: 1) be locally and modestly successful as a disruptive innovator in challenging the norm that single use disposables are necessary at a coffee house/cafe; 2) actively support, initiate, and organize community activities and to hold this in equal importance to retail success.

The inspiration behind Serendripity Spot is for it to be a place of lively conversation and community sharing.

What I look forward to most is finding out what is on the minds of residents, workers, students, business owners, commuters, growers, and others in the McKinley neighborhood about what community-based projects they have interest in taking on. If people get together at Serendripity Spot to brainstorm what might be done, figure out what is most important to get done, and even to suggest some pie-in-the-sky ideas of what we wish could be done, that will be really cool. Then we can make an investment of time and money, and also help identify additional resources.

Similar to charity donation programs at check-out counters, Serendripity Spot is excited to round up at the register and collect “*tips,” both of which will be put toward community projects people find the most compelling. We will add a portion of sales to the coffer and from there see what is affordable and doable.

Change happens when individuals committed to a common purpose support one another in keeping active and on track. As such, Serendripity Spot hopes to be a “hub of coffee conversation, and conservation” and that ideas will “spoke outward” from there.

Thanks and please let me know what you think.

Kelley Skumautz, Serendripity Spot

P.S. For more about the idea of “liquid networking,” check out this TED Talk about the role of coffee shops as places of connection and innovation.

You’ll find no Sysco or Costco here, nor any big boxes or big brands

The Serendripity Spot menu was created upon the simple notion that bulk is better than BULK. We also like to source healthy ingredients from local providers. These criteria along with the fact that we do not use open flame to cook (it’s cost prohibitive to install that kind of kitchen), makes our food selection manageable for a small mom-and-pop shop, appealing to a variety of palettes, and agreeable to zero waste standards.

Our partners at McKinley Community Urban Farm and strong side terra farma grow produce within six-blocks of Serendripity Spot, which is a farm-to-table distance we are truly proud of. For additional items, we send a single shopper to the market for other fruits and veggies and to stock up on local, whole ingredients from the bulk bins only using only returnable, refillable containers. Whereas many cafés and restaurants interpret bulk purchasing as getting ingredients in large, packaged quantities from warehouse chains or distributors, Serendripity Spot does it differently. Shopping our way allows us to do three things at once: support local farmers and food makers, serve customers healthy eats, and avoid inorganic waste and down-cycling.  

We find this way of sourcing easy to do because our menu, customer base, profit expectations, and work ethic are right-sized for the endeavor.

Serendripity Spot is human-interested and human-powered and we transport things by bicycle, bus, or rideshare, reducing our carbon footprint and eliminating the need for trucked distribution. We get supplies from carbon-conscious, local vendors (see website for an up-to-date list of providers).

In organizing around the idea of making food from whole, healthy ingredients that do not require unnecessary packaging, we show our unique way of caring for people and the planet. The effort it takes to handpick items is genuine, and satisfying, and it keeps us connected to local growers and purveyors.

In recent articles and reports, writers are bringing to light a number of hurdles that farm-to-table restaurants have had in legitimizing their local claims: 

Most restaurants buy food from one of a small handful of distributors who source products in bulk at the best price from around the world. The national biggies are Sysco and US Foods…Most restaurants do not have the time or wherewithal to deal directly with farmers and producers; most farmers and producers don’t have the infrastructure to do their own sales, marketing and delivery. So the storytelling begins.

We admit farm-to-table requires extra time and energy and we are willing to do it. We think of Serendripity Spot as a “forward into the past” operation and we want to talk authentically and thoughtfully about how and why ingredients were selected and where they came from. While our business model is nowhere near perfect, “food this way” is based on being locally-minded and low-impact, and we hope the community takes interest and pushes us to do even more.

Kelley Skumautz

In July, 2016, strong side terra farma, an urban Minneapolis market garden, will offer hyper-local produce for sale to people, businesses, and organizations that can, in turn, feed families, customers, students, residents, and other loved ones with wholesome veg from down the block.

Strong side is guided by care for people & for our planet. The soil and veggies are petrochemical-free. Only natural farm inputs are used. Bicycles, not dinosaur-powered vehicles, deliver people and produce around the city. Strong side is committed to good pursuit of food.

You can eat strong side vegetables (and buy a la bulk sale) at Serendripity Spot (opening in early August and found in the McKinley Community building at 3300 Lyndale Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55412).

For kitchen orders, vegetables are available for pickup or for FOB bicycle delivery to your door.

For pricing, to receive a weekly fresh sheet via email that tells about the current bulk vegetable offerings, to request samples for your kitchen, or to let us know what we should grow, contact strong side by sending an email to dylan: [email protected].

Show your strong side. Be part of the good food movement.

…new cafe will sling mud but no litter

In a recent Star Tribune article, Frank Edgerton Martin wrote about the character of some Minneapolis neighborhoods and how they got it. He said character can be found in “old-fashioned supper clubs and locally owned coffee shops. Think of Jax Cafe in Northeast or Cuppa Java in Bryn Mawr. These places feel authentic and original — local, not themed.” Soon, the corner 33rd & Lyndale Avenues North will be revitalized in the way Martin mentioned with the opening of Serendripity Spot, a coffee shop, third space, and “humble place that lends richness to daily life.”

About the same time of Martin’s article, the McKinley Community Board of Directors and Principals of North Minneapolis Dirt and Mud Company (name of the collaboration between Serendripity Spot and Strong Side Terra Farma, a market garden and produce supplier) started talking about intermixing their like-minded missions while each maintaining its niche in the local food movement. A partnership blossomed and the three are working together to give people easier and greater access to healthy food and deeper community engagement through enriched discussion, education, and citizen action.

Serendripity Spot will open in summer 2016, offering patrons coffee, light eats, and conversation six days per week. The market-style menu will be created daily from fresh produce from Strong Side Terra Farma and McKinley community-supported agriculture, along with ingredients purchased from local co-ops. The coffee shop is also committed to being zero-waste; and returnable, refillable containers will be used for food, drinks, and ingredients.

This conscientious choice intentionally differs from a consumer culture driven by single-use and grab-and-go options, and presents people with a place to sit, sip, and stay, or a way to enjoy a coffee drink to-go without having to throw anything away to end up as landfill waste or litter.

Serendripity Spot’s organizer believes locals will embrace this less-is-more ideal and help uphold the notion that sustainability is not something only affordable and available to the more affluent. 

Serendripity Spot is a place where anyone and everyone can show they care for people and the planet, one visit or one cup of coffee at a time. 

While attracting customers is important, Serendripity Spot is equally interested in being a hub where people are encouraged to create plans for neighborhood improvements, and its organizer will work within the partnership to give time, leadership, and modest financial support to make the changes that people want to see happen.

Here’s to slinging mud in a new direction – cheers!