One of Carmel Valley’s own is behind the rebirth of Hacienda Hay & Feed.

That Nile Estep is passionate about community is unmistakable. He built a career around creating it through farmers markets with his business, Grass Roots Events, Inc. He helped revamp the once floundering Carmel-By-The-Sea Farmers Market during the pandemic. Now he’s taking that passion and pouring it into reopening one of Carmel Valley’s most beloved businesses, Hacienda Hay & Feed, by mid-September.

The site at 7180 Carmel Valley Road started as Wolter’s Market from the 1940s to 1970s, and then was run by the Olow family as the Hacienda. It closed two years ago to the dismay of many valley residents, as well as people in the region with horses and other animals who depended on the store for livestock food supplies. More than an agricultural supply store, it served as a community gathering spot, and provided generations with warm memories of the many animals on display in the chicken coop, bunny barn and petting zoo, as well as annual harvest festivals and holiday events.

When Estep heard the Wolter family was selling the land with the condition that it be sold to locals – it was helpful that Estep’s aunt and uncle, Lisa and Doug Steiny, were the real estate agents – he felt confident that as a native of the valley, he was the right choice.

The Wolters agreed, and with the Steinys’ financial help, Estep purchased the property. Estep reached out to former Carmel High classmates Jon Wescott and Brianna Lackey to help reenvision the space. Wescott has worked with different farms in Big Sur and Carmel Valley and will serve as feed manager. Lackey will work as general manager, focusing on community outreach.

“We really want to celebrate the history of Carmel Valley,” Estep says.

He and his team are bringing back the chicken coop and bunny barn, and they built a couple of horseshoe pits. (The petting zoo will remain in the past.) They want to bring back events that he says give “that true world feeling of what it’s like to live in the country and the past. It held that charm.

“To be able to revitalize that in a way that you have that sense of community is really important to me.”

Also planned are workshops and classes on topics like beekeeping and pickling. Hay and feed will again be for sale, as will local products found at farmers markets like soaps, candles and other artisan creations, including apparel. Local eggs and honey will also be available, but Estep is leaving produce to the farm stand at neighboring Earthbound Farm. Other plans include possibly bringing back the organic farm behind the Hacienda as a place to teach future generations of farmers.

Estep’s main focus is creating a community hub, and he plans to open the space to local organizations for meetings or to host musicians and occasional food trucks.

Beyond that he says he’s not interested in pursuing larger events like weddings. “It’s not a profitability thing,” he says. “We’re in this for the long haul. It’s a passion project.”