We Need Our Community’s Help

We Need Our Community

This is difficult to write. Perhaps it is ego or pride, the fear of criticism (we have had plenty of critics this last year) or perhaps it is embarrassment and the general difficulty in asking for help–or all of the above–but we do need to ask our community for some help. As you know the Strong Creek Bridge closure was unexpected, certainly when it happened and for how long. When we planned this business we knew that they would close the bridge in 2020, but we thought that we would at least have our first year to get established in the community and could budget accordingly for that closure. But then surprise! Not only were they going to close it a year earlier than we first thought, but it would take FIVE months! To add more insult to injury, they went over their allotted time commitment and kept the bridge closed past 4th of July and ALL of July–which is the one month a year that we can get enough business to support our winter.

The bridge closure hit us by a whopping 40%. In our first year of business, losing that 40% before entering the winter was basically a death sentence. But we are fighters. Our family has been through more than our fair share–those of you that know our story can attest to this, and for those of you that don’t, we are happy to share it over coffee with you some time–so we are no strangers to pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps and battling on. We KNOW that this store is needed in our beautiful community, and it has been such a wonderful experience being a part of so many of your lives on a daily basis. We KNOW that God put us here for a reason, and through struggle and endurance comes strength and faith. So we are not giving up. We will be doing everything we know how to do to keep our doors open through the winter, because we see ourselves as a LOCAL store, meaning it is for all of us all year. We just have to hold on until spring and next summer when we get to enter peak season with a fully-open road and a chance for a do over. 

The reason we are sharing this information is that we also know that many of you care about the store and truly want to see it succeed. So it wouldn’t be fair to struggle in silence and not allow our community to fight with us. If you have enjoyed your time at our store, please write reviews and share them, and tell your friends. When you need eggs, milk, wine, cheese, bacon, lunch meats, pasta, frozen dinners, drinks, chips, salsa, coffee, produce, baking supplies, snacks, cereal, soup, canned staples, salad dressing, condiments, rice, laundry soap, toilet paper, pet food, candy, and 100’s of our other products–could you please think of us first? We purposely keep our prices low, our selection varied, and even accept food stamps all because we want to be your neighborhood store. We are also working hard to be able to turn the cafe into a full breakfast restaurant next year, because we know that is what so many of you have requested. But if we can’t get through this winter, that won’t be able to happen. So please, think of us when you need groceries. We know you probably won’t do your big shops with us, but when you run out of things, don’t forget that we are here. Please be patient with us when we run out of product or need to start closing earlier, and swing by when you can. 

We are so grateful for Hope, it is our home and where our heart is. Our children are growing up here and we are dedicated to our community. So please, don’t forget to shop local. We really appreciate your support and prayers. And we will do our best to keep a warm place for you right here in Hope.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ross and Jamie Davis

(By the way, in case you were wondering why we took down the sign at the business 200 exit, and why we don’t have a sign at the centennial exit, it is because the Idaho Department of Transportation will not allow it. Which, as you can imagine, is exceedingly frustrating).