Grow Eureka, Grow Vegan

WE ARE GONNA KEEP DOING IT!!  (updated 1/4/21)

This project is moving along!  With a new year comes new developments, and new members of the community excited to help create this resource.

The current Eureka Compass location will end its 4 year run at 629 Aldine st. at the end of May.  I hope to have the expanded location ready for soft openings by July.  

When this campaign was originally launched in July of 2020, the timeline projected to seamlessly transition from the current location to the expansion appeared feasible.  With the prolonging of the economic uncertainty around the pandemic, the sale of the building that currently houses Eureka Compass, and requests from the community to open this campaign up for contributions again, I have decided to increase the goal and see where it takes us.

As many of you know, Eureka Compass Vegan Food only operates out of 629 Aldine on Saturdays.  In September of last year Mitchell Molloy from Healing Foods, Zachary Hurdle from Food by Zachary, and John Stockman at Black Market joined with me to form The Twin Cities Vegan Chef Collective.  Together we cover 7 days of service out of 629, and I have been able to focus on this massive project.  

Through crowdfunding, private investment, local and national grants, and my own contributions, we can create a world class resource right in the middle of the small, Twin Cities, metropolitan area.  The biggest vegan grocery store in the country!!

So, please, spread the word, stop in some Saturday to learn more about the project, follow along for the updates, and join in with this amazing community that has already gathered together with the shared purpose of creating the resources we want to rely on!

Thank you all, so very much!!


(Original Story created July of 2020)
Well, let's do this!!

It has been over 3 years since I started Eureka Compass Vegan Food.  Everyday I learn something new.  There have been a lot of days, and a LOT learned.

The events and situations of the last 4 months have only accelerated that learning.

As a small business owner I sit in a very privileged place right now,  COVID has not destroyed me, but has actually offered me an incredible period of financial stability.  More importantly, it has given me an opportunity to learn what I need to do to grow Eureka Compass to serve this community here as best as I can.

With that growth has come some incredibly valuable insights.

The future is still very uncertain.  Eureka Compass has always relied on the support of individuals "passing through" the Twin Cities, and I have greatly enjoyed being a worldwide destination for those who value creativity, mission driven/community based endeavors, and independent & unique businesses.

This is a time of almost limitless opportunity and available resources.  The commercial rental market is INCREDIBLY friendly right now.  There is a massive amount of financial resources available to small businesses through a variety of programs (both local and national).  There is also enough uncertainty, that now might be the best time to stop, reflect, plan, and grow.

For awhile now I have been looking at different locations that would allow me to expand the operation, the amount of resources I can provide, and the scale in which Eureka Compass Vegan Food can positively impact the community.

I have always wanted to stay in the Hamline Midway Neighborhood.  It's where I live, it is centrally located in the Twin Cities Metro area, it is easy to access from afar, and I just can't imagine moving farther from my home.
I looked at a variety of locations, and for many reasons (not big enough, wrong property managers, building conditions, etc. ), none of them really got me excited.  Until now...

There is a building just 3 blocks from my current location.  It is owned by Hillcrest Development, a local, family run, property development firm, that has over 100 years of experience revitalizing neighborhoods in the Twin Cities.  The support and incentives they are offering, the chance to work with a team of individuals dedicated to the success of their partners, and the opportunity to be an anchor business in an exciting property reclamation project, right here in my community, is very exciting!

Also, I have been in conversations with many private investors, and am also exploring the best ways to involve more people in this capacity.  They have been looking to work with me for a long time, and help me grow this mission.  The time had never been right for me.  That does not mean that those conversations were not helpful, they were immensely helpful.

I learned so much about all the the possibilities private investment can offer should I ever find myself in a position to partner with investors.  I was never ready to grow as big as engaging private investors would allow me to, but right now, it's probably time.

That is where this Go Fund Me comes in.  This campaign is not to raise all the money for this project.  This is to gather the seed money needed to secure greater financing and grants to go into the process with all the resources needed to build a 5 star, flag ship space for everyone who has been, and will be, supporting this mission.

Developing the largest vegan grocery store/food hub in the USA is not going to be easy.  In fact, it's going to be a full time job.  I will have to eventually cease my current operations and focus fully on coordinating the build out and developing the staffing and supply line infrastructure before opening the new spot.

The vision and goals of Eureka Compass Vegan Food are not changing.  I still want to highlight and stock smaller, independent producers, while also bringing in more products that the community has been requesting.  I want to continue to offer an incubator space for emerging vegan chefs and creators.  I want to continue to steward a space where the community can gather and interact.  I want the ability to support the livelihoods of more, like minded individuals.  I want to run an operation offering above living wage pay, benefits, partner ownership opportunities, and continue my mission of decreasing waste.

This space offers the opportunity for all of that!

I can go on and on about this project, it really is quite massive.  It all starts with further engaging and developing the community of support and partnership that already exists.  It starts with letting go of the "lone wolf" experience I have had here, and developing a team to operate this new incarnation.  It starts with embracing the fear and uncertainty, and just trusting that I have the resources and will to bring this into existence, and build it to thrive.  

I can see what this all will look like and be, but only by making it a reality can I share that vision with the world.

Feel free to call me: [phone redacted], and we can discuss this more.  Let me know if you want to talk in person when you next pick up an order at Eureka Compass, and I can make sure to schedule the time in to discuss this.

Also, Go Fund Me isn't really an "incentive based" platform, but I will still offer an incentive:  Everyone who contributes to this campaign will get 1% off ALL PURCHASES FOR LIFE for every $10 they contribute, up to 10% off.  So, if you contribute $100, you will get a lifetime discount of 10% on all purchases made at the new location.

There is no set opening date.  Honestly, how I move forward will be dependent on the response to this campaign.  Still, If I can raise the seed money in the next 6-8 weeks, it will convince me that I need to move full speed ahead on this project.

I do not expect you to contribute blindly.  I really do want to hear what anyone thinks about this plan before you contribute.  I want to answer any questions.  I want your feedback on what you would like to see this become.

This journey has been so much fun.  It is time to share that joy with as many people as possible.

Thank you!!!