Closing announcement

When you start something, you never imagined you’d be writing this letter.

“You’re crushing it!”

“Ha thanks! It’s crushing me. 🙃”

I must have had this exchange over two dozen times. What you see on the outside is a beautiful storefront, a multitude of incredible employees, a second “location” in Easley, selling out at farmers markets, and new creative menus every week. And a really beautiful 3 years together. Because truly, they have been so good.

What I see now is high payroll, personal and business debt, physical pain, bills, someone always needing me, constant stress, always putting out fires, never being able to be fully present, and not even recognizing myself in the mirror while I given almost everything I had to basta.

Because of this, we will be closing September 23.

basta. has been in operation since October 1, 2020 with baking banana bread in my home to raise money for organizations doing good in the world. If you’ve seen my easy bake oven in the store, you might know this has been my dream since I was a little kid. How special that I could actually be living out my dream! Not many people get to say that. But, my dream and who I want to be no longer align.

See I started basta. when I was single, had a dog, and a full time job. It was sooo easy to give everything to it and I’m so grateful for that. When a little boy comes in to the store and thanks me for being a vegan place where he can eat anything, my heart melts. When a person thanks me because they or their children can finally celebrate their birthday with desserts that are safe, it gives a moment of I can conquer any hard times! But, back then was different than now. If I wanted to run myself into the ground it didn’t matter. I answered to no one and had very few responsibilities. It also gave me such a purpose. While it still gives me purpose, my life looks so different today. I have a beautiful fiancee, two dogs, a house to take care of, and truly no real income coming in. And as much as it shocks me that I would be remotely domestic, I love my little family. I want to spend time with them. I want to get off my phone. I want to travel with them. I want to smile like I used to.

Closing basta. is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It has taken months of deliberation and planning, because I not only have myself to think about but my incredible team as well. I know you’ll be sad. I know you might not fully understand. I’m sad. I’m so, so sad. I don’t fully understand how we got here either. Providing food for people is so hard. It’s physically and mentally taxing in a way that’s difficult to describe unless you’ve done it before. Like many before me and many after me, I’m tired.

You know how much we promote mental health care around here. The crushing weight of owning a food business has put me in the worst mental spot I’ve ever been in. And I couldn’t have that. I had to make a change.

I’m sorry that we won’t be able to provide the space you’ve come to know and love anymore. But I do have good news! We will still be doing cakes. I’m not sure what all this will look like as I search for a new full time career; however,  more info will come. If you have an outstanding order after September 23, 2023 you’ll be contacted and just know you still have that order locked in!

This has been one of the best communities in Greenville, if you ask me. I’m so grateful for y’all. I’m grateful for every dollar and every minute you’ve spent with us. It means the world. The ethos and mission of basta. isn’t going anywhere. We will still be pushing to organize events or groups to see what we can do to make the world better.

Thank you. Truly. Thank you for supporting us. For loving us. For believing in us. For helping us. You’ve helped us serve so many beautiful people and create so many special memories. This isn’t goodbye. It’s a we will see you in the next chapter.