Slow Down Or You'll Miss It

I know because I did the very first time I stopped in at Slowpoke's Local Food Store.

Imagine my surprise while surfing the net for local food sources when I stumbled across Slowpokes. I was stunned! I had no idea that there was such a creature in Grafton, WI. I drive through this village every day on my way to work.

Slowpoke's Local Food Store is being showcased as my first "Favorite Local Pick of the Week!"

Located on busy Main Street in one of the older buildings in the village, Slowpokes is rapidly gaining popularity and recognition for its emphasis on affordable local healthy products.

The first thing you'll notice as you walk in the door is the colorful display of local fresh fruits and vegetables. Several freezers and coolers are filled with a variety of products bearing the labels of local food producers. One thing noticeably missing is row upon row of the usual packages of processed foods found in conventional grocery stores.

Prepare to be warmly welcomed by the proprieter, Kathleen McGlone. Most likely she'll be restocking shelves, helping a customer, or talking on the phone.

Seeing the delicious home-baked treats sitting so temptingly on the counter, it's quite apparent that she's also spent some time baking in her in-store gluten-free kitchen.

I could write a whole post just on Kathleen. Her life story is fascinating, and as you get to know her you'll find her to be an amazingly creative, energetic, and intelligent woman. But I know that is not what she would want us to focus on. Her mission is so much larger than herself.

Kathleen, thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to answer a few questions about your business, Slowpoke's Local Food Store.

Q1. What made you start your business in the first place?

Family food allergies and loss of friends to cancer motivated me to begin studying nutrition and its connection to various health issues. It has become my passion to share what I have learned with others.

Q2. Why did you choose Grafton?

I live here and think the need for straight answers are growing daily. I decided that Slowpokes could be a catalyst to bring that about here in this community.

Q3. How is your business different than other health food stores?

We focus on locally raised, clean, easily digested and absorbed basic foods. Nothing fancy-but very vital to our overall well-being. We also provide a large variety of "live" foods.

Q4. How do you decide which products you would sell?

I avoid overly-processed, empty calorie foods. I avoid high fructose corn syrup, MSG, nitrates, any trans fats, and high sugar concentrated foods.

Instead I look for produce nutrient-dense and low glycemic. Good fats and satiating foods are also essential elements for healthy living.

Q5. What would you say is your best-selling product?

Sami's Millet and Flax Bread and Crackers are my top-selling items. Jeff-leen's Farm Pastured Eggs are close behind. Then it would be Kay's 100% Grassfed Galloway Beef.

Q6. Why are these products so popular?

Sami's Breads are popular because it is so hard to find non-gluten flour products that taste good and are whole grain. Jeff-leen's eggs are so fresh. They're from Random Lake. Kay's Beef is such a rare local find. She's located in Cedarburg.

Q7. Some of the readers of this blog are not from our local area. Do you have any recommendations for them as far as locating stores similar to yours?

First of all, go online to find good local food sources. Secondly, purchase a good-sized freezer and buy direct from your area farmers. Or lastly, call me to ship things to you.

We will need to have you back here again in the future, Kathleen. We have barely scratched the surface as far as understanding what Slowpokes is all about i.e. nutrition classes, gluten-free foods, the Local Wellness Initiative with Grafton Schools, or the Slow Foods Movement.

Anyway, thanks again, Kathleen, for taking time to share your "passion" with us.

In the meantime, check out Kathleen's website for more information. Better yet, stop in to see for yourself why Slowpokes is becoming such a hot shopping spot in downtown Grafton.

And don't forget to ask for one of Kathleen's freshly baked Sweet Potato Biscuits (that is, if sweet potatoes are in season). They are to die for!!