The owners of Happy Girl Kitchen Co. needed $200,000 toward a down payment to purchase the Pacific Grove building they have occupied for years. Through a fundraising campaign, they achieved that mark and more, raising $216,720.
What's the next step? "Planning the 'We bought the building' party," says Jordan Champagne, who owns Happy Girl with her husband Todd.
The building is now under contract. Once Champagne committed to the course of fundraising, she also began working out details of the purchase with the landlord.
"We have a great relationship," she points out.
On Jan. 1, Jordan Champagne notified regulars that the building at 173 Central Ave. was coming on the market. Over 16 years, Champagne and her staff had transformed Happy Girl into a fixture—a market for fermented goods, jams and other items, as well as a casual vegetarian restaurant that became popular with Hollywood stars during taping of Big Little Lies, as well as a core of locals.
Champagne notes that she initially had doubts about the idea. "I was researching all the other options," she says. "Where am I going to move my restaurant?"
Happy Girl surpassed the goal with four days remaining in the campaign. More than 600 people contributed through fundraising dinners and other incentives.
"This is really amazing,” she said in a post celebrating the moment the digits tipped over $200,000, thanking those who contributed. “We are so grateful that we get to serve you for many, many years to come.”