A Pinch of Pepper schedules grand opening in time for Thanksgiving
LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the previous decade, Emily Colombo has dreamed of opening her personal bulk spice and tea store in Larger Lafayette. Come Saturday, Nov. 18, she’ll see her dream come to fruition because of the newly constructed Public Security Middle incubator retail house positioned at 619 Columbia St.
Colombo, a West Lafayette native and Purdue College graduate, mentioned the idea for her retailer, A Pinch of Pepper, was born after visiting a number of bulk-style grocery shops in main cities round america. Specializing in top quality, small batch tea and spices, the shop will even supply an array of scorching sauce, olive oil and vinegar made by little recognized producers.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombo mentioned the necessity to cook dinner meals at house left many in search of high quality substances that had been scarce on mass market grocery retailer cabinets. Seeing the necessity for extra native choices, Colombo started tinkering with on-line gross sales, dipping her toes into native pop-up gross sales earlier than wading into the waters of native farmer’s markets this previous season.
“The businesses I’ve chosen to begin issues off with are firms that do good by their merchandise, emphasizing a mission behind their gross sales,” she defined. “I additionally concentrate on eco-conscious merchandise in my retailer. If I’m going to be placing one thing out into the collective noise of the universe, I need to attempt to take action thoughtfully and purposefully with as little plastic from packaging as I can.”
Colombo mentioned she determined to pursue the brick and mortar retailer inside the newly constructed Public Security Middle after being prompted by Lafayette financial growth director Dennis Carson. The pitch introduced to Colombo was for a roughly 300 sq. foot retail house with leasing choices starting from three to 12 months.
After attending to know Carson by means of her earlier work with the Larger Lafayette Commerce and at varied occasions in downtown Lafayette, Carson mentioned he felt Colombo’s tea and spice enterprise match precisely what town was seeking to help by means of the incubator areas.
“We’re excited for entrepreneurs or individuals who’ve relied on on-line gross sales to check out a brick and mortar house,” Carson mentioned. “The hope is that we are going to then have the ability to assist them relocate after their lease is as much as one thing extra everlasting both within the downtown space or some other place within the metropolis.”
Working on a one-year lease, Colombo calls this model of her retailer “Pinch 1.0,” as she builds her listing of merchandise on the market and features a bodily foothold inside the Larger Lafayette group.
Impressed by her late grandmother, Frances DeFrancesco, the longtime proprietor of Nicky D’s Italian Restaurant previously positioned in Elkhart, Colombo mentioned her final purpose for her retailer is to create a group house for individuals to assemble.
“My grandmother beloved to cook dinner and she or he beloved to feed individuals. Her and my grandfather’s restaurant turned an actual hub for the group, the place people from throughout would collect,” Colombo mentioned. “Seeing that at a younger age is what I feel led me right here to opening my very own retailer. I really like the concept of sharing meals, concepts and instruments to create and collect, and that’s the place I hope to take A Pinch of Pepper.”
A Pinch of Pepper will start common enterprise hours on Monday, Nov. 27, open weekdays from 5-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
