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Owners Vow Return After Repairs are Made and Ask for Donations
It's another one of those bad-news-sharing times: Village Farmstand, the aggregator of delicious products from local farms, announced today (February 13) that it has to temporarily shutter its storefront in the Chicago suburb of Evanston after its landlord informed that the building needs urgent repairs.
This announcement came in an email from owners Rachael and Jesse Smedberg, who have emerged as leaders in the local food community through Village Farmstand and Tulip Tree Gardens, their regenerative farm south of Chicago in Beecher, Illinois.
They wrote, "This unexpected and unfortunate situation is beyond our control, and we humbly ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate through these challenging times. As a small farm and business driven by our mission, this closure casts a shadow over our dedicated staff members, our hardworking farmers, and our cherished community."
The text of the email copied below includes information for those who have placed orders and how they can pick them up at the store by 3 p.m. today. They have also posted a fundraiser on their site to raise bridge money until the store is able to reopen.
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VILLAGE FARMSTAND'S ANNOUNCEMENT
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
We deeply regret to inform you that, due to urgent repairs by our landlord, we are heartbroken to announce the temporary closure of our beloved Evanston location. These essential repairs have left us with no choice, and we are currently uncertain when we will be able to reopen our doors and welcome you back.
This unexpected and unfortunate situation is beyond our control, and we humbly ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate through these challenging times. As a small farm and business driven by our mission, this closure casts a shadow over our dedicated staff members, our hardworking farmers, and our cherished community.
Our store will remain open until 3 PM today for pick-up orders only. If you have placed an online order for pick-up outside of this window, we kindly ask you to come between 10 AM and 3 PM. For those of you who have a CSA with us, we will reach out to you individually via email, but rest assured, your CSA will be available for pick-up at the store tomorrow until 3 PM.
We earnestly seek your support in helping us clear out some of our current inventory and in standing by our network of farmers during this trying period. Moreover, to support our incredible staff and cover essential expenses, we have set up a product for donations to help us bridge the gap in these times.
Your unwavering support means the world to us, and we are determined to come back stronger and more resilient than ever. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your understanding, compassion, and support.
Together, we will get through this.
Warm regards,
Rachael & Jesse Smedberg
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