By Katy McCoy

Thanks to you and our supportive community, Chimacum Corner Farmstand has money in the piggy bank and for the first time last month actually squeezed out a bit of a PROFIT! (and that’s not counting donations received).  I’ve been waiting a LOOOONG TIME to be able to say this!  Although personal profit is not our motivation for running this business, profit over time will enable us to invest in our employees and overall vision.

Sales are the cornerstone of any retail business and we are pleased to announce that our sales have more than doubled from last year as more customers are intentionally doing increased amounts of their shopping at the Corner.  We can’t thank you enough for your patronage as this is ultimately the key to our success and sustainability.  We are touched everyday by our community’s commitment to buy and shop locally.  It was an especially moving day when we were “mobbed” by the Port Townsend Cash Mob, a group of individuals committed to buying en-masse from local businesses, thus demonstrating their community support.

Two months ago we launched a fundraising campaign to secure monies needed for assorted infrastructure improvements including the front and back build-outs, a second cash register, an ice cream counter, landscaping, and to begin work on the “food hub” distribution side of our business.  Over 60 of you became “Friends of Chimacum Corner”, donating anywhere between $20 – $2000 each. THANK YOU!  We will never forget you as our original donors.  The honorary coffee mugs are in production and it is not too late to give!

To obtain the remainder of the $130,000 needed, we next turned to the LION group of investors (Local Investing Opportunities Network). The LION group was founded in 2008 in Port Townsend as a network of individuals interested in “locavesting” – keeping their dollars working at home through loaning money to local businesses. LION provides the structure critical to connect businesses to interested individual investors.  LION was the first network of its kind and is now being emulated across the country. Way to go Port Townsend!

Within one week of us going to the LION group with our request for funding, several individuals stepped forward loaning us between $5,000 – $25,000 each, quickly getting us to our goal. Others have offered to to help us down the road when we next have needs.

Incredibly validating and inspirational.  Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Go to other current posts:

“Ice Cream Parlor” Opening in Chimacum

Second Annual Inter-Dependence Day Celebration, July 6

From Here to There: Our New Fresh Food Delivery Service

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