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Rare Variety Cafe, a new vegan restaurant at 4622 Main St., is trying to bring more food choices to\u00a0the North Main community by not only being a vegan cafe, but by providing\u00a0a grocery store as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a food desert and people don\u2019t have access to adequate food and so we found this to be the perfect spot for what we do,\u201d Keithrick Alexander, owner of Rare Variety Cafe, said. The grocery store is set to open in early 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alexander said he\u00a0wants to give the community healthier food options.\u00a0The cafe’s menu will include\u00a0southern fried cauliflower and a\u00a0lasagna made with mushrooms, red peppers, green peppers, and bell peppers.<\/p>\n
Rare Variety Cafe is\u00a0part of a food hub and initially started as a co-op with Axiom Farms Cooperative, which is an agricultural marketing cooperative designed for farmers and the communities they serve.\u00a0Rare Variety Cafe\u00a0will also\u00a0teach cooking classes, nutrition, yoga, and whole body health.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Alexander said that he’s there to help provide a ray of hope for the North Main community, including displaying a George Washington Carver mural outside of his cafe. The mural has this uplifting message, “Where there’s no vision, there’s no hope.”<\/p>\n
Sabrina Odom Edwards, the executive director of the North Columbia Business Association,\u00a0said she is excited about the opening of Rare Variety Cafe because area residents have few choices for fresh food.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, since (the zip code) 29203 is a food desert we don\u2019t have that many supermarkets or farmer\u2019s markets where fresh fruits and vegetables are provided,” Edwards said. “This cafe will be definitely another access for them to get the product, and also it\u2019ll be great because it\u2019ll offer fresh fruits and vegetables and you can eat in the same place.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Alexander said he wants to feed the mind, body, and soul of the community.<\/p>\n
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Keithrick Alexander, owner of Rare Variety Cafe, said his restaurant will\u00a0provide healthy food to Columbia’s North Main community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Sabrina Odom Edwards, executive director of North Columbia Business Association, is excited about the fresh food choices that are coming to the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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