Featured Local Businesses
We have selected a couple of businesses to feature on our site, we hope to grow this page and introduce our members and visitors to more amazing local businesses in the future. We hope you will do what you can to support these businesses, and share their incredible work!
LITTLE RAE’S BAKERY
Industry: Wholesale Bakery
Location: Seattle, WA
Established (year): 1996
Mission statement: Good, wholesome food to sustain our community.
Where to find them:
Website , Facebook , Instagram
Where to find their products:
Little Rae’s sells their products in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Hawaai, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. In Seattle you can find them at high end retailers like Whole Foods, New Season Market, Metropolitan Market, and many local cafes.
Interviewee: Sam Greene
What inspired you to start this company?
Little Rae’s Bakery was founded in 1996 by James Morse. Sam Greene joined Little Rae’s in 2000, initially just helping his friend a few nights a week with washing dishes, and production while working a job as a prep cook. He enjoyed the small business aspect and stuck around, eventually gaining equity, becoming majority owner in 2018. While Sam is not a founder, he has learned every aspect of the business, from dishwashing to his current role as CEO of Little Rae’s.
Sam has a desire to learn and grow, two things that are very important to him personally and to his business. Sam believes personal and collective growth are necessary, and that “ if you’re not growing you are atrophying.” He is constantly thinking about what he can do and learn next, and believes there is no end to what one can learn, or how much one can grow.
How has COVID-19 affected your business?
Little Rae’s has seen a decline of about 40% in business over the last two plus months. Largely because their products are considered more of a treat, and in the current climate customers are more likely to choose staple foods, over treats. Additionally Little Rae’s has seen most of their cafe business disappear, as many cafes have been forced to shut down, or have seen significant reductions in business. In order to best cope with these changes in business Little Rae’s has taken several different approaches, including cutting cost and spending, expanding to new regions, and partnering with other local bakeries to create and sell the NW Bakery Box. The NW Bakery Box allows individuals, and businesses in Seattle to order a box of local favorites including items from Indi Chocolate, La Toscanella, Macadons, and Mighty-O Donuts among many others. You can learn more, place an order, buy a gift card, or donate a box here.
What can an organization like ALPFA UW do to support you?
Buy some cookies!!
Let folks know that we have capabilities to get food out, including home delivery.
AREPA VENEZUELAN KITCHEN
Industry: Food Service
Location: 1405 NE 50th St, Seattle, WA 98105
Established (year): 2015
Where to find them:
Where to find their products:
Call: 206) 556-4879, UberEats, GrubHub
Interviewee: Kami Valderrama
What inspired you to start this company?
Kami’s husband Felix, started La Nota in Venezuela, a very successful burger restaurant that would go on to be franchised. He always loved being in the restaurant industry, had a passion for it, and dreamed of opening a place here in Seattle. Felix, Kami, and some very good friends from Venezuela came together to open Arepa Venezuelan Kitchen (AVK), noticing a lack of Venezuelan eateries in the area. AVK offers over a dozen different arepas- a cornmeal pocket filled with a variety of different ingredients including chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and cheese. They also offer several different appetizers, and desserts.
How has COVID-19 affected your business?
Like many other restaurants and businesses, AVK has seen roughly a 50% drop in business, and have been forced to lay off a number of their employees. Additionally they have had to change the way they do business, transitioning to a delivery and pickup only model. Kami, Felix, and their business partners are utilizing the current situation as an opportunity to “sharpen their pencils and relook at [the] infrastructure” they have built for the restaurant. They are working on building a website, better utilization of social media, and adding technology to streamline processes. They are continuing to learn along the way.
What can an organization like ALPFA UW do to support you?
Aside from purchasing their products, small businesses like AVK, and their owners could benefit from additional access to business education, at a reasonable cost. Like many small business owners Felix has the passion for business, and would benefit greatly from access to educational resources, and knowledge. With access to these resources Kami, Felix, and their business partners believe they have the potential to expand AVK, or even become a national chain.
Know of a local Latinx business that we should feature on our page?
Send a message to UWALPFA@uw.edu and let us know!