Our Story
Hello!
In late April 2020 while sheltering-in-place, I launched this passion project to help support small businesses in the best way I already knew how:
continue patronize them,
curate helpful information,
and share stories about locals, businesses and organizations that keep this community connected.
I grew up with immigrant parents that owned a neighborhood grocery store and take-away restaurant for 10 years, in a small touristy town in Cairns, Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef.
Fast forward to 2008, and another small town across the globe, Healdsburg, CA — immediately charmed me and my triathlon-coach husband Kevin Coady. "You really need to check out Healdsburg!" said one of our groomsmen who gave us a gift certificate to Hotel Healdsburg for our wedding. An auspicious gesture, that planted a seed to live here one day, as we kept returning from the East Bay to stay, dine, and race triathlons.
We're lucky to call Healdsburg our home. And we're learning as we go, how to live and shop more local.
Be well,
Caroline Bontia
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Photo from left to right:
Little me in front of my family's grocery store in Cairns, AU;
At the annual barn party at Healdsburg-based, non-profit, Farm to Fight Hunger, where I volunteer;
Celebrating our anniversary dinner at Cyrus; and
Enjoying Tuesdays at the Plaza.