Business Times of Edmond, Oklahoma March 2020 - Page 9

“We knew the downtown area was
undergoing growth and change, and we
wanted to be a part of that — as a local
grocery which specializes in sourcing
local food, but also an operation for
small scale groceries that help to
revitalize the urban spaces they’re in.”
— Chelsey Simpson, co-owner.
his home garage, reaching out to producers
and farmers across the state, and building
up contacts in the field of agriculture. In
2011, the operation grew and has been in
Oklahoma City’s Historic Farmers’ Market
district.
“Eventually, we were offered a good deal
on a space in downtown Edmond, where
we already had a presence with the farmers
market, so we knew that we had a group
here who were interested in supporting
locally sourced produce and other items,”
she said. “We knew the downtown area
was undergoing growth and change, and
we wanted to be a part of that — as a local
grocery which specializes in sourcing local
food, but also an operation for small scale
groceries that help to revitalize the urban
spaces they’re in.”
Simpson said the Edmond area has been
“very welcoming” of them, and that growth
was initially slow, but gaining momentum
as word got out about their presence
downtown.
“Business is coming along,” she said.
“We have regulars who had been shopping
with us at the farmers market who really
embraced our new location, and we’re
gaining some new regulars as well. We’ve
been excited to meet everyone. People have
told us they’re so glad that we’re here, that
they’ve been looking for a place to source
grass-fed beef for their family, etc. We hear
a lot of that.”
The growth of locally sourced produce
and beef is a trend that has been on
the rise in recent years, as the public’s
consciousness has turned more towards
being informed about where their food
comes from, Simpson said.
“For years, people made the
understandable assumption that if food
was being offered to them on a grocery
store shelf that it was safe, healthy and
nutritious,” she said, “and I think through
a lot of different media stories and coverage
that ‘not all food is created equal,’ people
are seeking out food that’s healthier, that’s
source-verified, and that’s safer — free from
additives, raised and grown by a certain
standard, etc.,” she said.
Local produce, pasture-based meats
and dairy, fresh eggs, baked goods, pasta,
a variety of preserved foods and a growing
number of prepared items can be found
at Urban Agrarian, with many offerings
prepared in-house by the continuous flow
of independent producers.
To find locally grown food and help local
farmers at the same time, stop by Urban
Agrarian during regular hours of operation, 9
a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
For more information, visit them in person at
1 E. Main Street, online at https://www.
urbanagrarian.com/
or on Facebook.
March 2020 | The Business Times
9