More Than a Building: The Store Opens Its Second Location with Dignity, Choice, and Love
I’ve been off our blog for a bit. The reason?
We’ve been building something big. And it’s been a bit all-consuming.
This Thursday, The Store, opens the doors to our second location.
Our dream building.
Three times the size of our original.T
ons of room for fresh food.
A kids' play area already waiting. A space designed to serve more of our neighbors with dignity, choice, and love.
But what makes this place special isn’t just the square footage.
It’s the stories already unfolding.
This week, our team started contacting people off the waitlist - families and individuals who have been patiently waiting for a chance to shop at The Store.
One woman heard the news and said,: “Is this real? I can’t believe it.”
She had waited months for something many of us take for granted. Access to fresh, healthy food.A grocery store where she could choose what her family needs.
A community that makes her feel seen.
That moment reminded me why we’ve poured so much into this space.
Because The Store is not just about groceries.
It’s about offering care, connection, and agency.
It’s about building a system that believes people deserve more than a handout. They deserve a dignified experience.And while we’re excited, I’d be lying if I said we aren’t nervous too.
This expansion means doubling everything.
Double the food. Double the volunteers. Double the resources it takes to run a welcoming, efficient, and joyful space.
When I shared that with our staff, I told them what I know to be true:We’re going to be okay.
In fact, we’re going to be better than okay.
This Middle Tennessee community has never let us down.
You’ve shown up every time with time, resources, ideas, and so much heart.I believe you’ll show up again.
Because this new location is not just a building.
It’s a bigger welcome mat.
A place for everyone who wants to be part of something hopeful and healing.
We’re honored. We’re humbled. And we can’t wait to see you there.
We need you.
This week, The Store opened the doors to its second location - three times the size, built with care, and designed to serve more neighbors across Middle Tennessee. But this expansion is about more than just space. It's about restoring dignity, offering choice, and building a community where every person feels seen and supported. In this reflection, we share what this new chapter means for the families coming off our waitlist, for our team, and for the community that continues to show up with love and generosity.
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“It Was Hope”: Ms. Kim’s Story Reminds Us What This Expansion Is Really About
At the ribbon cutting for The Store’s second location, it wasn’t a CEO or a founder who delivered the most powerful message—it was Ms. Kim, a grandmother, customer, and volunteer whose story left the crowd cheering and in tears. In this blog post, we reflect on her honest, moving testimony about the emotional weight of food insecurity and the relief she found in dignity, choice, and community. Her words grounded the moment and reminded us: this expansion isn’t just about square footage—it’s about doing more, sooner, for families who deserve more than survival. They deserve support wrapped in compassion—and a future filled with hope.
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