On Monday, Garden Girl Foods employees were preparing for a catering event, not abnormal for the popular, Black-owned, fresh canned foods business.
But they were doing so in the Louisville Central Community Center not their Old Louisville storefront that owner Whitney Powers had lovingly spruced up over the past year, adding a garden and grab-and-go food service.
To uproot in one year? Devastation is not a deep enough word, said Powers. In the same breath, though, its actually been a blessing, because having what I was holding on to being ripped away from me, is it forces me into greatness.
Powers is leaving the Old Louisville building because she says the space has mold issues that the landlord, Robert Wilson, did not take care of, which she claims was in violation of her lease. According to Powers, there was also going to be a sharp increase in rent. Powers, who says shes experienced negative health impacts as a result of the mold, refused to pay the increase or future rent, citing the landlords alleged lease violation.
David Kellerman, an attorney for Wilson, issued a statement to LEO about the dispute: This is a landlord tenant issue. The parties rights are governed by a written commercial lease. Tenant is not being treated differently than any other commercial tenant who is in default of her lease obligations and who hasnt paid rent for over three months, but refuses to vacate the premises which she alleges are uninhabitable. We are aware of our ethical duty not to try our case in the media. We will address tenants claims in the courtroom, if necessary. Until then, we caution tenant and her representatives not to defame our client or make any statement that places him in a false light.
Powers has signed a two year lease at the Louisville Central Community Center, a place that she says shares a mission with Garden Girl: to give back to the community and help build up small businesses.
Powers will be using the space to fill orders for her online store and to prep for catering gigs. In a few weeks, Garden Girl is set to launch a partnership with LimitLess, a local courier service, which will deliver Garden Girls canned products as well as ready-to-eat meals.
Powers is also considering opening a lunch counter in the community center, which she said she hopes will bring more traffic to the building, which has suffered during COVID.
As for her Old Louisville garden, Powers said Garden Girl has plenty of farmland out in La Grange for her products, but she also plans to set up smaller gardens throughout the city.
My plan is at this point, take over the city, she said.
Powers’ ultimate goal, though, is to own her own Garden Girl building. Her vision, she said, is a space like grandmas house: One big house with this farm slash garden outside to where the kids can learn how to prepare the stuff, they can learn how to cook the stuff, they can also learn regular household chores, said Powers.
No smart business person wants to lease forever, she said. That’s the way you start, but not necessarily the way you finish.
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This article appears in January 19, 2022.