Today in Kickstarter Campaigns: Plenty Grocery And Deli

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jul 19, 2012 3:20PM

Davey Sommers and Gwen Harley want to open Plenty, a grocery store on Division Street near Damen Avenue that focuses on produce from regional farmers, small batch producers, urban food projects and Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village residents with dietary restrictions.

It sounds like a novel project but Wicker Park and the Ukrainian Village aren’t necessarily food deserts, nor is there a dearth of businesses that can cater to people with underrepresented. So we reached out to Sommers and asked why Wicker Park?

Sommers told us via email he and Harley found the population in Wicker Park and the Ukrainian Village is growing at higher rate here than a lot of other areas in the city, and they want to help support a more densely populated area. “We are just far enough away from the other shops that we'll really be able to serve a population that is probably traveling farther than they would wish or relying on transportation, and really increasing the time it takes to get things they need.”

Sommers said he and Harley based their idea and business model on businesses in they encountered living in Europe with a similar population density. Living in the neighborhood, Sommers said he informally paneled other business owners and, so far, the project has been well-received. “People want to know when we'll be opening not why we're opening here.” The location they’ve scouted already has a parking lot and, though Sommers said he sides with pedestrians when it comes to local development, “if the lot is already here it might as well be used for a grocery store. It makes it a lot more accessible for disabled persons, during bad weather, and for parents who have to juggle their kids, strollers, and grocery bags.”

The Plenty Kickstarter campaign has raised over $6,500 of its $15,000 goal, with 13 days to go in the campaign. If you’re interested in contributing to the campaign, visit their page for more information.

(Plenty is slated to open at 2036 W. Division St.)