The Night Before Opening Moonbow Mercantile in Williamsburg

 
Our little General Store on the night before opening

Our little General Store on the night before opening

It is midnight and I have just gotten home from Moonbow Mercantile in downtown Williamsburg, where things are (mostly) ready to open tomorrow. There are neatly arranged shelves of products, a newly installed Pepsi fountain, and a dipping cabinet full of homemade ice cream. My family is fast asleep, so I am going to take this time to write down a few thoughts on the night before opening.

On the one hand, I am so excited for this new venture. This store is a little bit different from our others: the idea behind it is an old-fashioned General Store and Ice Cream Parlor, with a bit of a Willy Wonka twist. The vision is for it to have all kinds of novelties and goodies, with an emphasis on goods that are locally made. It is a beautiful space, with hand-built shelves (thanks, Will!) in the historic Faulkner & Taylor building. As time goes by, we will have candy, hand-dipped chocolates, and custom sodas. We are starting with homemade ice cream, soda, and local goods.

Okay, maybe there are some advantages to your mom opening up a candy, ice cream, and toy store

Okay, maybe there are some advantages to your mom opening up a candy, ice cream, and toy store

But on the other hand, as excited as I am, it also feels just incredibly complex to open up a new business during the Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s face it: opening a new business anytime feels really hard. I really struggle as a working mom. Today I left home before my children woke up, and was not there to tuck them in, although we did hang out to have a takeout dinner that Geoff picked up. And while my 10 year old is totally fine with that, my 5 year old surely missed his Mommy snuggles. I mean, he video chatted me about 6 times today on Messenger Kids. Geoff does an absolutely fantastic job and makes it fun for the boys, but I still feel guilty sneaking into a dark house with everyone asleep, because it feels like I did not do my most important job.

Now, throw in a pandemic and it all feels really crazy. I want so badly to keep my staff safe, and to operate responsibly. I am honestly a bit uptight, and I like following the rules. But right now there are so many variables at play. Usually you worry that nobody will show up, and now I worry that too many people will show up, or that someone won’t wear a mask. Or that the business will end up on some viral video or photo because someone snapped a picture of a moment where the excitement of the day meant that we let down our guard. At the end of the day, I feel very responsible for everyone’s safety, from customers to staff to my own family.

Jo, who has been with us through it all, helping out

Jo, who has been with us through it all, helping out

But I also feel strongly that we cannot stop the work entirely. As Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits ran out, there is so much uncertainty, and a lot of folks looking for jobs. This particular business is also allowing us to partner with the Federal Work Study program at the University of the Cumberlands, and we have 4 students we will employ during the semester. Geoff and I both did Work Study, so this is close to our heart. And, of course, I am so excited to hire my staff back. Jo has been with me for over three years, and for all of my openings. I don’t know what I would do without her or how I would survive.

And I have some wonderful role models of women in the restaurant business. Sauced, one of my favorite restaurants in the region, opened up a second location in London recently. Gina Wilson, who owns it with her husband, is someone I really look up to. She gave her entire staff a paid week off after they dealt with an incredible influx of business. Her generosity extends to so many, myself included.

This is what the store looked like on Thursday

This is what the store looked like on Thursday

And then there is Mae Suramek, who is one of my heroes. Her business, Noodle Nirvana, sets a standard as a social enterprise, donating tens of thousands of dollars annually to non-profits. She grew from her noodle business to Hole & Corner Donuts, finding a way to double the use of a single business. And then, just this past week, she opened up Happy Jack’s World Sandwich Bar in the College Square in Berea. She is bringing world cuisine to our region, and she is doing it as gently as she can to avoid crowds and keep people safe. Meanwhile, she is highlighting the culinary prowess of cultures that are often overlooked in this corner of the world. She points out, rightly, that restaurants are often the gateway for folks in transition, and particularly immigrants. Did I mention she is one of my heroes?

Kristin Smith, the incredible owner of The Wrigley in Corbin set up a group for some women in food in Eastern Kentucky to connect. I am a pretty active user of the group, because it is a safe space to share worries and get feedback on everything from ice machines to closures to staying sane. Recently, I shared my worries about opening a new business with this group, and I just have to share what Mae wrote to me (with her permission, of course):

I will be the first to tell you that it will be OK because you and Geoff are a solid team, because you are never driven by profit, because you have a true and genuine desire to invest in your community, and by golly, you're both freaking brilliant. I put this quote on our website a few weeks ago: Only the truly mad and wildly optimistic open up shop during a pandemic. Also, I 100% know that it will be OK because, girl, I'm doing the exact same thing right now and just survived our first day of opening our second restaurant, YESTERDAY. Oh, it was a mess. We prepared, we should be pros at this after 4 years but we still put the wrong lettuce in people's salads, took so long to create a banh mi that it got cold, and weren't able to accept credit card payments for the first half hour. And guess what? My community loved me through all the aches and pains, and even offered kind and gentle and helpful feedback. You got this, and remember, WE GOT YOU! (even if it's virtually for now) ❤

And now you see how and why we push through. What an incredible gift of community we have here. We are all trying, failing, but getting back at it and trying again.

I have no idea what tomorrow will be like. We aren’t having any big ceremonies or fanfare, given the current situation. But I do know that I am in the very best of company, serving a community I adore. I have a family that allows me to do this, even when the work keeps me away and up, churning out countless gallons of ice cream.

And maybe it is a metaphor for what we are all going through right now. We all feel worried, responsible, unsure. And what is getting us all through is the connections. Let’s hang onto that, for dear life.

I invovled the boys in showing people that we are going to require masks

I invovled the boys in showing people that we are going to require masks

 
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Get To Know Us

We are a small family business with one goal: to show the world Appalachian magic through unique food and retail experiences, in a way that nurtures our community and region.

Sky and Geoff Marietta are passionate about rebuilding Main Street businesses in Appalachian Kentucky. Look for some of our blog posts below, or find out more about our start here.

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