I have a couple "landmark" trees I watch each fall. You might be familiar with one of them, holding the corner of 35th and Blaisdell - another on 40th near Pillsbury.  As they turn brilliant colors and then drop their leaves, I reset my calendar to autumn and begin preparations for a winter ahead.   There's a comfort in the cyclical pattern at work with these colorful time markers. I've been here before, and no matter what has gone on during the past year, these trees just seem to say, welcome back - we're still here. It's that time again.

And still, because of the passage of time, it's not the same tree - it has grown.  And so have I, so I am seeing it with a different set of eyes and memories.   This year, in particular, has been rough on the trees, with heat and drought creating a high level of stress.  This year, in particular, has been rough on me as well, with pandemic impacts, political division, and societal challenges creating a high level of stress.  As I reconnect with the trees and notice how they've been cared for and cheer their resilience, I'm grateful for the ongoing support that has carried me through as well.

Temporary changes are settling back into more cyclical patterns.  And yet, new ways of surviving are being built into how we operate.  A deeper understanding of what harms and disparities businesses like mine have created over time and continue to create, are leading me to commitments for reparation work and more sustainable future.  Same tree, new leaves. 

And so it's that time again. 

I have been on the path to raise prices at Butter, and as usual it has me feeling very anxious.  While I'm noticing the increases in costs for my supplies and ingredients, and proud to continue to raise wages for my staff to offer a fair wage, I just keep worrying about the impact of price increases on my customer base.  Particularly, I worry about becoming unaffordable to my neighbors at lower income levels or fixed incomes.  

I designed Butter to be a place that could be a regular stop as a daily pick me up, or a routinely scheduled visit during the week.  I appreciate being a place for special events and annual traditions as well.  As a neighborhood resource I like to be available for other businesses, schools, organizations, and our city government's needs as well.  Unfortunately, the ongoing, lingering pandemic impacts reach into all of these areas.

How does a small business like mine stay afloat to be able to complete another year's cycle?

The simple equation is, of course, to keep our expenses below our income. Behind the expense side the factors get pretty complex.  However, to raise income, it's fairly simple - it's about growing by increasing transactions or increasing prices.  With the limits and cautions of the lingering covid-19 pandemic, I don't hold out much hope for growing very much at this time.

And so, this fall I offer thanks to you, full of gratitude for increasing your investment in us, through your ongoing support of our mission here, through each cup of coffee, each scone, each biscuit sandwich.   Thank you for walking alongside us as we continue to journey on this path to sustainability.