Rebecca Wireman
The first of October was an exciting day for owners Joseph McRedmond and Allison Smith who held the grand opening of their new organic store, Rooster & Hen, located on Frederick Road in Catonsville, MD.
The rock musician couple is providing the community with benefits of locally sourced food and organic products that are healthy for all. As stated on their website, McRedmond and Smith say, “We love our neighbors and are overjoyed about creating a meeting place for people to buy their weekly ingredients, flowers, home goods, treats, and prepared meals.”
College provides us with convenient meals on campus, but sometimes what’s best for your diet isn’t always right in front of your face. People need to find the best source of energy for their body if they want to make it through an exam or a research paper.
Students at CCBC Catonsville aren’t always left with the best choices of snacks and nutrition when standing in front of a vending machine or in line at the cafe. Rooster & Hen gives them a chance to grab some alternative snacks that are only 3 miles away.
A five ounce bag of kettle cooked chips, a five ounce bag of granola with fruits and nuts, and a gluten free cupcake come to an even total of $11. That may seem like a tad expensive if you’re used to paying a dollar for a small bag of Doritos, but this amount of food could last a couple of days to a week if portioned properly to get through the school day.
If you live in the Catonsville area and need your coffee fix but don’t want to leave the house there’s an option to call in an order to Rooster & Hen who will grind their own beans, branded as Jose Grande’s Coffee, and deliver it free of charge. They also sell ready-made coffee to your liking if you want to stop by and get something that’s already hot.
McRedmond and Smith have children so they understand the issues that parents at CCBC have to address with families. That’s why they offer free childcare so the parent can shop while an employee sits with the child or infant in the car.
Candice Wilson, a parent and student at CCBC, says, “I wish businesses were more thoughtful like Rooster & Hen when my son was younger. It would have made it way easier to pick up something healthy rather than feeling like I should just get fast food when I’m rushed for time.”
Although the business has a bounty of fresh produce and nutritious choices, there’s still an option to indulge every once in a while with Wielands BBQ. This food truck and catering company offers savory sandwiches in the Rooster & Hen parking lot.
The more people visit McRedmond and Smith at their new store then there are chances for them to reach more parts of Baltimore, MD. Also, if someone makes their own homemade organic products then the owners are more than happy to review and carry them. This is a great opportunity for business savvy students who want to make a little extra money while doing a good thing for their neighbors.
Catonsville native Mary Beth Mager says, “I live off of Frederick Road, as do many of the people I know, and we couldn’t be happier to have Rooster & Hen establish themselves in the community because they’re making a difference.”
It’s important that independent businesses such as Rooster & Hen are supported by the people around them. McRedmond and Smith started small at the Catonsville Sunday Farmers Market but they’ve thankfully been able to expand their company. They offer sustainable and necessary changes that we need in order to better ourselves and improve on our lifestyles.
Rooster & Hen is located at 2302 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD, 21228. They’re open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Their website can be found at http://www.roosterandhenstore.com/ with more information on their products and services.
*Articles reflect the views of the author and or those quoted and do not necessarily represent the views of CCBC or the CCBC Connection.
