From Crazy Idea to Community Staple: Launching Berry + Basil

Welcome to the very first episode of Joy Curated! Join Cindy Peterson, co-founder of Berry + Basil in Chamberlain, South Dakota, as she sits down with her longtime friend and business partner Angi Hanzlik for an honest, lighthearted conversation. 

They discuss the origins of their thoughtfully curated kitchen store, and the joyful, sometimes wild, journey of launching a small business in the heart of rural America.

In this episode, Cindy and Angi reminisce about dreaming big, taking risks and following their mission to inspire people to cook, entertain and gather — no perfection required. 

You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about bringing quality products to their community, adapting during the pandemic, and the special moments and products that have shaped their shop (including hilarious towel stories, custom-made goods, and the unexpected adventures of retail life).

Whether you're a kitchen enthusiast, a small business dreamer, or just someone who loves the idea of connecting over food, this episode is filled with warmth, laughter and plenty of inspiration. 

Products mentioned in this episode:

Whitty Floursack Towels

Hedley & Bennett Aprons

Zassenhaus Bread Slicer 

Olivelle 

B + B Signature Collection of Soap, Lotion, Cleaner and Room Spray

No Paper Paper Plates + Tiny Tumblers

Smithey Cast Iron

For more thoughtfully curated joy, check out berryandbasil.com and follow the store for all the latest products, events and sales at @theberrybasil

Follow the show at @joycuratedpodcast (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) and make sure to subscribe to us on the podcast app of your choice. It helps us grow and share the story of all the brands we love. 

Transcript

Welcome to Joy Curated. I'm Cindy Peterson, co-founder of Berry and Basil, a thoughtfully curated kitchen store in beautiful downtown Chamberlain, South Dakota. Here we discuss food quality and real life without the pressure to get it perfect. I have real, honest conversations with makers and product experts to talk about how things are made, how they're meant to be used, and how thoughtful choices can make everyday life feel more confident and enjoyable.

Cindy Peterson [00:00:39]:
So hello, welcome to the very first episode of Joy Curated, and I'm here with the only person that it made sense to start with, Angi.

Angi Hanzlik [00:00:48]:
Hello, how are you? Super duper.

Cindy Peterson [00:00:52]:
So we're in the store, and I think that's exactly where this first episode needs to take place. So Yeah, they're— and we're open. So yeah, just kind of the vibe we usually have going with music and how that changes throughout the day and our energy levels and all of the things. But I got to thinking this episode needed to be kind of just a basis for when we started 5 years ago. Do you remember what that first conversation looked like, sounded like, felt like?

Angi Hanzlik [00:01:22]:
I do. I remember coming up with an idea for the building because we really wanted to get something in the building. And you and I had discussed several things, and it quickly evolved into, why don't we just open a store?

Cindy Peterson [00:01:41]:
Because why not?

Angi Hanzlik [00:01:42]:
It can't be that hard.

Angi Hanzlik [00:01:44]:
Yeah. And so that was, that was it. And you were like, okay. And so here we are.

Cindy Peterson [00:01:52]:
I think what's crazy to me is that as unrealistic— if I— if that's the right word, I don't know yet— but how I had had crazy ideas in the past that I quickly would talk myself out of or negotiate out of, or just be like, okay, well, kind of having that little voice that says, well, that probably won't work. And, and. But I don't feel like I ever had that level of feeling like this wasn't going to be amazing. And so it was just like, well, let's just try it. Let's just play store. Yeah. See what happens. And here we are.

Angi Hanzlik [00:02:30]:
Here we are. The best decision ever. Right?

Cindy Peterson [00:02:33]:
So that's why, you know, it isn't that it felt realistic, but did it ever feel unhinged? Like, this is crazy.

Angi Hanzlik [00:02:43]:
We're crazy. Maybe. I don't know. Nothing. No idea is crazy to me because I'm like a dreamer. But I didn't— in the moment, it was very exciting, but I couldn't see past opening. Like, I didn't know what to expect, or I didn't have like a vision of what was ahead. I just knew that we were like, buying the stuff that we loved, and hopefully everybody else would realize that really cool stuff can be in Chamberlain, right? And hindsight, I think the, the not knowing and the throwing caution to the wind, kind of, that's what really got us going.

Angi Hanzlik [00:03:31]:
Because if we would have overanalyzed it, we probably wouldn't have done it.

Cindy Peterson [00:03:36]:
And I think the balance of you're the dreamer, I'm the little analytical Susie Naysayer in some cases. Is that her name?

Angi Hanzlik [00:03:45]:
Susie Naysayer?

Cindy Peterson [00:03:46]:
Yeah, I don't know. Maybe.

Angi Hanzlik [00:03:49]:
I don't know. Negative Nancy.

Cindy Peterson [00:03:51]:
Negative. No, but just like, yeah.

Angi Hanzlik [00:03:53]:
Okay, so the realist.

Cindy Peterson [00:03:55]:
The realist. The fun hater. No, I would not at all. But yeah, just that balance of the two of us, I think, is really the— it speaks for the longevity of, of what we've been able to create. And it just blows me away every time I come in here. It's just the fun and the excitement that I feel and the love that I have for all this stuff in here. And, and I think the basis of every business, every product solves a problem. Yes.

Cindy Peterson [00:04:25]:
So what do you think we were craving that didn't exist?

Angi Hanzlik [00:04:30]:
For me, it was like when I was living in Hawaii, one of my favorite escapes was to a local kitchen store or Williams-Sonoma when it finally came. And like having the ability to just go into a store and be able to look around and dream and imagine and see all the things like that you didn't know existed. You didn't know you needed it till you saw it. In the store and just bringing that back. And then again, it was like during COVID And so when— remember when we started talking about like our mission and what we really just wanted people to be comfortable, like getting together and entertaining and being able to, you know, entertain and feel comfortable cooking and just But yeah, so I feel like that was the need that, or the void that we filled.

Cindy Peterson [00:05:32]:
Yeah, I think I always remember going through in high school, I'd go to a kitchen store in our area for fun and just walk around and think, okay, this is, gosh, when I have a kitchen, I'm going to have this color mixer. And gosh, I didn't even know that I wanted to make cookies. But now all of a sudden I think that's a great idea. But yeah, like you said, the things that I never knew existed, the gadgets that I never knew I needed, things that make our lives easier. And I think it all goes back to— we talk a lot about our memories in the kitchen with our grandparents and our parents. And my grandma Tina would say any— if something irritated her in her kitchen, it needed to go. So back in the day, in the good old days, things were made very differently. And so the quality items lasted for years and years and she, you know, we didn't need to replace things.

Cindy Peterson [00:06:28]:
And I feel like our society has kind of gone into that side of it's convenient in a big box store, but it maybe isn't the quality that we deserve. Absolutely. And kind of filling that hole of bringing those quality items in that, Yeah, we need to justify and decide if it's worth the extra price. Is the value there? Is the quality there that this is a product? I think we'd rather sell one can opener that lasts years. Exactly. Than one every 6 months or, you know, so yeah. And I think one thing we always say too, when people are surprised when they walk in, that we appreciate quality in rural America. We just, are used to traveling for it.

Cindy Peterson [00:07:15]:
Exactly. And so if we don't have to travel for it, and during COVID we didn't want to travel, right? But we wanted to touch and feel things. And everybody was getting back to— because we had time at home, yeah, they were cooking, we were baking, we were doing all of these things. So I was looking on Amazon for things that I didn't know if the quality was going to be what I wanted and So just that desire to touch and feel things. I think people say, gosh, how crazy to start a business during COVID And I think in terms of the type of business we were opening, I can't imagine a better time to start. I know we were fortunate with that. We were. Yeah.

Cindy Peterson [00:07:57]:
Yeah. So you mentioned the mission and we have words that, you know, we kind of based on, but I feel like they've become so integrated into every choice we make. But if you could simplify what you feel like our mission was when we first opened and first kind of decided, okay, we're doing this, do you remember what our mission?

Angi Hanzlik [00:08:22]:
Yeah, to empower people to cook, to entertain, or to inspire those who already know how to kind of go beyond or give them the tools to cook, create, entertain.

Cindy Peterson [00:08:41]:
And to appreciate that time that we not, you know, I think, I don't know if we ever took for granted not having the opportunity to gather until we were told we couldn't or shouldn't. And wanting to take advantage of that when the time came or when people were able to feel comfortable and, invite people over and enjoy that, that human, you know, the value of those human relationships that a lot of times take place in the kitchen. And so if, you know, there's pretty things surrounding us when we happen to have those moments, then it makes it even that much more.

Angi Hanzlik [00:09:21]:
Yeah. And one of my favorite things, like kind of going back to the mission, is when someone comes in the store and because it's a kitchen store, they're like, oh, well, I don't cook. And One day you said, well, do you eat? And that's really— I mean, that's like, you don't have to be a cook to come in here and be inspired. Because even like with the olive oil and vinegar, you could cook a piece of chicken like 30 different ways. And so, yeah, just to inspire people to try new things.

Cindy Peterson [00:09:56]:
And I think adding flavor But even if we're just warming something up or making that process easier or safer or cooking the things we already cook, you know, I think we all have our little library of go-to recipes because busy weeknights, okay, tonight's taco night, tonight's hamburger night, tonight's pizza night. You know, it's those things that we can just easily switch up with a few additions or switching out of different food items that make it that much more special.

Angi Hanzlik [00:10:30]:
I hope my family's not listening because I do cook the same thing all the time now. Totally. Because I'm so busy.

Cindy Peterson [00:10:37]:
Oh my gosh. I remember my girls, they said, Mom, you don't cook as much as you did before you opened a kitchen store. And I'm like, I know, right? I was like, because we're not home and I forget to lay meat out to defrost and it's just not.

Angi Hanzlik [00:10:53]:
But I am very inspired. Just like this. I'm going to take one of these skillet cookie mixes home tonight. It might be dinner.

Cindy Peterson [00:11:01]:
We're standing next to you. So do you think that mission that we had back in the day? I think, I mean, it still feels true. Has it evolved?

Angi Hanzlik [00:11:16]:
I think it has evolved. Well, especially With this particular segment of you bringing on this podcast, it has evolved not only to trying to inspire people who walk through the door, but people all over that listen to podcasts, kind of just even educating them on products, talking about flavors, whether we're talking about knives or how to see your piece of meat, or how to, um, what's that thing? Sous vide?

Cindy Peterson [00:11:49]:
Yeah, like that thing.

Angi Hanzlik [00:11:51]:
What's that thing?

Cindy Peterson [00:11:53]:
I have that thing on my bobber. Yeah. Um, and I think that's the conversations that we have had the opportunity to have with these makers and the, you know, even our sales reps. But what I have learned so much, and I have to ask really silly questions sometimes because it's new information to me. I mean, I just, I'll never forget the time we were talking to somebody about the proper way to use stainless steel pans. Well, I'd always cooked with stainless steel, but I had never really thought about, okay, yes, there is a different process. And so being able to talk to the people that really truly know all of the things is kind of, I don't know, it excites me. I don't know if it'll— it is exciting to other people, but I kind of geek out with stuff.

Angi Hanzlik [00:12:42]:
Same. And that's that. Like, I loved wine before, and I've learned so much about wine. And same with the cooking and with nonstick and how to cook with cast iron. Just all the things that we've been able to learn because we by no means felt like we were experts opening the store. No. And I feel like we've learned so much that I get excited telling people, like, sharing information that I learned. Like, did you know this? I think we have definitely stuck to the mission of inspire and encourage people to create, to gather, to cook.

Angi Hanzlik [00:13:26]:
In everything that we do, that's kind of our driving. And, and that makes us feel good and brings us joy.

Cindy Peterson [00:13:33]:
It does. And I, I think about how far we've come in terms of We've learned about products, but neither of us had ever owned a retail store before. I always joke that I sold eggs with my sister, my cousins, and we had a cash register and everything. We were— it was like big time. Big time. And I'll never forget you saying, well, I worked at The Limited one time.

Angi Hanzlik [00:13:59]:
I did, like for one winter season.

Cindy Peterson [00:14:03]:
And so what we've learned and the process. I think I am so inspired by, you know, we have our backgrounds. I have, you know, my ag background. You have your naval career and the amazing things that, that you've learned and experienced along the ways. And so I think we have diverse backgrounds, but I think that's what is so amazing. And some of the things that we bring in, things that I never knew about that you knew everything about, and vice versa.

Angi Hanzlik [00:14:34]:
Yeah, absolutely.

Cindy Peterson [00:14:35]:
But on the business side, I just, I think it's so valuable. We have a little running list of things you've done on the business side to educate yourself and what you've accomplished. And so I just think it's important to mention you did a Goldman Sachs, more or less an MBA.

Angi Hanzlik [00:14:54]:
Yeah, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program.

Cindy Peterson [00:14:58]:
And working full time. Yes. And traveling. Getting to meet business owners all over the state of South Dakota, but also Washington, D.C. twice now. Yeah. To introduce our store on that playing field, if you will. And you got to meet—

Angi Hanzlik [00:15:15]:
I got to meet Martha.

Cindy Peterson [00:15:19]:
I hate to say I was like, you know, we never want perfection. And I feel like Martha is so perfect and so amazing. She's maybe even a little bit daunting. Yes. But was it everything you dreamed it would be to meet Martha?

Angi Hanzlik [00:15:34]:
It was.

Cindy Peterson [00:15:36]:
It was great. She's, I think, the same person. Person.

Angi Hanzlik [00:15:42]:
Yeah. She was very, very hurried. And she's busy. My expectation when I heard I was going to meet Martha was like, I was envisioning us like having tea and like chit-chatting. And it was more of a, like, hello, how are you? What's your business? Okay, great. Moved on to the next. And then we got to take a quick picture, which I was like a deer in the headlights. Like, my head was falling off.

Angi Hanzlik [00:16:13]:
Like, I had no idea. So, yeah. And but she did sign my book.

Cindy Peterson [00:16:18]:
Yes.

Angi Hanzlik [00:16:18]:
She signed my cookbook, which I have here.

Cindy Peterson [00:16:21]:
I love that. Okay, so we have the Goldman Sachs. We have— you're in the process of going to school.

Angi Hanzlik [00:16:29]:
Yes, I am in the Dakota Wesleyan MBA program, and I will be finishing in June, which is very exciting.

Cindy Peterson [00:16:41]:
And so people think we're crazy.

Angi Hanzlik [00:16:42]:
We are crazy.

Cindy Peterson [00:16:45]:
And we are. Yeah. So when I say we are maybe a little bit unhinged, but I don't think it would be what it is without that. It's still fun, and we're still craving knowledge and craving information. Yes. So at the point that doesn't become as fun, then we'll figure something else out.

Angi Hanzlik [00:17:07]:
But so far, yeah, always growing, always learning, that for sure.

Cindy Peterson [00:17:13]:
When we pick products for the store, I think when we first went to market, we didn't even know how, okay, how, what do you do? You, there's these places, there's these buildings, there's people in those buildings with no windows usually.

Angi Hanzlik [00:17:29]:
There's so much stuff.

Cindy Peterson [00:17:31]:
How do we decide? And I think we were obviously very focused. We had people that held our hand along the way and helped us make good choices and taught us a lot. But, but do we have kind of a criteria? For bringing things in, uh, and how we decide certain things.

Angi Hanzlik [00:17:49]:
Yes, I think we do.

Cindy Peterson [00:17:51]:
It—

Angi Hanzlik [00:17:51]:
does it make us happy? Well, okay, so first, at least one of us has to love it, right? And then it has to be like great quality. It should be pretty. Sometimes the packaging will let that slide. Yeah. And then if one of us doesn't love it and the other one just hates it, then we probably won't bring it in.

Cindy Peterson [00:18:18]:
And we've gotten a lot better at saying, I love it, and this is why. This is why we're bringing it in. And then, too, when we first started, we didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

Angi Hanzlik [00:18:31]:
So I'd say, but I really like this. This is so cute.

Cindy Peterson [00:18:36]:
And we'd say, okay, we'll order 6. But that, I think so much of when we opened too, we had no numbers. We would, we had no idea. And so we'd be like, well, do we want 3 or do we want 24? I don't know. Let's do 6. And so, you know, we don't have one catalog that we order things out of. There's hundreds of different vendors and different options. And yes, so it gets a little overwhelming.

Cindy Peterson [00:19:04]:
It does, and emotionally exhausting. But now we have the numbers that with your education and knowing, okay, how to analyze them now more so than we ever thought we knew beforehand. Now we know, okay, well, we sell this many cutting boards before Christmas and we need to have this many to have in order. So we're making, I think, smarter choices with that. But of course we have to make fun choices. Yes. So I didn't prepare you very well for this, but we just got back from market in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. Things are rolling in the door.

Cindy Peterson [00:19:40]:
New. What are some of the things that— well, not just new that we've brought in. Yeah. But what is one of your favorite things in the store right now? Okay.

Angi Hanzlik [00:19:51]:
So if you would have asked me this last week, I would have had a different answer. But my favorite thing in the store right now are those darn towels. With the funny saying.

Cindy Peterson [00:20:02]:
Okay, let's walk over to those towels real quick.

Angi Hanzlik [00:20:05]:
Um, because it was— and I put them purposely by the bathroom because you're gonna laugh so hard that you're gonna have to pee.

Cindy Peterson [00:20:12]:
And we— I have to say, we don't like generally words. We usually stay away from wordy things, and we generally stay away from things that have bad words on them. Yeah. And so There's maybe a couple S words in here, but we don't. But okay, so pick your favorite one.

Angi Hanzlik [00:20:31]:
Oh, gosh. Okay, so this one. So the woman, oh, he's so cute. I say, thanks, he's a rescue. And then husband says, you have to stop telling people that.

Cindy Peterson [00:20:49]:
According to this box of mac and cheese, I'm a family of 4. Yes.

Angi Hanzlik [00:20:53]:
That is so true. Or this, like, my husband just said, calm down, like he wants his own Dateline special. And so I tell people that we picked these and they're so funny, but there's hundreds of them and it was hard for us to choose. So we only chose the ones that really made us laugh.

Cindy Peterson [00:21:15]:
So we were those people standing there laughing. I hate it when I mean to buy seedless grapes, but instead I accidentally get— well, you know, Oreos. I think that is a good—

Angi Hanzlik [00:21:28]:
yeah, I think that's a perfect one. That's my favorite thing in the store right now are those, because if I'm feeling blah, I just walk by and read them and they're very funny.

Cindy Peterson [00:21:39]:
Okay, I didn't prepare you, but I didn't prepare very well either. Okay, so I think one of the things that is an easy go-to is our Tobacco Vanilla lotion soap.

Angi Hanzlik [00:21:53]:
That's your favorite thing?

Cindy Peterson [00:21:54]:
I think so, because I need to take some of it home. So I was just remembering, because I'm out. But the story behind that is a perfect example of all of the— when we pick a brand, the maker, the storyline, and it's is certainly incredibly special to us just because it came from our friend Jenny Gilberts, who helped us kind of develop our own line of things with her Prairie Artisan. And I always say she went to perfumery school in Paris quite a few years ago, but I always say, where the heck was that guy at my career fair? I didn't even know that was an option. But, you know, Jenny continues to make just amazing new perfumes and she's in boutiques all over the country. And so to have a little taste of a South Dakota-made product that we have our name on is certainly very special. And she's gotten so busy that she trained us how to make it.

Angi Hanzlik [00:22:52]:
So yeah, we have our own little lab.

Cindy Peterson [00:22:54]:
We have our own little lab and it was my kitchen and now it's a little bit more substantial in another place that is all the things top secret location. But yeah, we're just, it's, I think, very special because it, I enjoy talking about it. I enjoy using it. I enjoy making it. And so it's definitely probably one of the things that we most involved in.

Angi Hanzlik [00:23:18]:
Yeah, for sure.

Cindy Peterson [00:23:20]:
Yeah. And I think that's a conversation that I need to get on the books for the podcast is with Jenny. And so she can, we'll chat with her.

Angi Hanzlik [00:23:28]:
That's a whole podcast.

Cindy Peterson [00:23:29]:
That's a whole podcast. So I think that's a group podcast too with you on there as well.

Angi Hanzlik [00:23:33]:
So with wine.

Cindy Peterson [00:23:34]:
With wine, of course. French wine. So, okay, your turn.

Angi Hanzlik [00:23:38]:
What else? Oh, okay. The Taylor Swift bread slicer.

Cindy Peterson [00:23:43]:
Oh, I love it. It was backordered. Yeah, for months. We got it.

Angi Hanzlik [00:23:48]:
And somebody asked me yesterday, is it a meat slicer? I'm like, I guess.

Cindy Peterson [00:23:56]:
And so I had a guy say, is that all it does? Slice bread? I'm like, but you know, if you are a serious sourdough artisan bread maker, the other thing I think we love to do is when people come in and need help finding a gift for someone. And I remember there was a husband that came in, had no idea what to get his wife. And I said, is she, does she make sourdough? And he kind of looked at me, deer in the headlights, and I don't know. And I was like, I, I think you would know. I think if your wife made sourdough, there would be signs.

Angi Hanzlik [00:24:35]:
And so he doesn't know.

Cindy Peterson [00:24:37]:
He just eats it. He just eats it. But I think if she's leaving instructions when she leaves to go to town on how to feed the starter, I think he would know. So I don't know. So, yes, I love all of our bread making things, and that's something that I don't do, and I'm excited to talk to experts in that field and get some tips. I think I need to start a journey of my own. I, I, people ask me if I bake and I said, well, I love to eat baked goods. Great taste tester, right? So all of our pretty little dishes and that are great for dipping olive oil vinegar, you know, with bread or even just You know, little appetizer plates or just the little dishes that we can, you can mix and match with your everyday dishes.

Angi Hanzlik [00:25:32]:
Yeah.

Cindy Peterson [00:25:32]:
You know, we brought in this year again the non-paper paper plates. Yeah. That have the mix and match designs and we have flowers and you know, the, the shape of them is they look like paper plates, but they're You know, it's hand, beautiful artwork on them and flowers and fruit, really modern. So I love that those are pieces that I can mix in as my salad plates in the summertime or whatever else.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:01]:
It's Jared.

Cindy Peterson [00:26:02]:
Probably getting a phone call. Hi.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:07]:
Hey, we're recording our podcast quick and then I'll be home. Oh, okay. We're actively recording right now and you're on speaker.

Cindy Peterson [00:26:17]:
Wonderful.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:17]:
How did you feel about us opening Berry and Basil?

Cindy Peterson [00:26:21]:
It was exhilarating.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:24]:
Oh wait, didn't you— what was it when we had saved up and you were gonna buy a new truck and you gave me the savings so that I could start the store? Yes. Do you remember that?

Cindy Peterson [00:26:35]:
Yeah. Okay.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:36]:
All right. I still don't know what we're having for dinner, but I'll be home in a little bit.

Cindy Peterson [00:26:40]:
Sounds good.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:41]:
Love you. Love you too.

Cindy Peterson [00:26:42]:
Bye. Bye, Jared.

Angi Hanzlik [00:26:45]:
Yes, he put off buying a new truck for me.

Cindy Peterson [00:26:51]:
I— and actually, the carpentry work in the store and the shelves that we have in the store are absolutely gorgeous. And I'll never forget Jared and the hobby craftsman that he is. I don't— it's rare for a craftsman to have this just be his side gig, his hobby. He doesn't do it except just for— Yes. And so he said, well, what do you want shelves to look like? And I said jokingly, I think it would be amazing to have floor-to-ceiling white oak cabinets. And I've always wanted a library ladder. And he created that.

Angi Hanzlik [00:27:31]:
He did.

Cindy Peterson [00:27:34]:
In my garage, and you're still married. And then, of course, our wine area is all him as well. So incredibly grateful for our husbands and their patience, but their, their support. Yes. Every step of the way.

Angi Hanzlik [00:27:52]:
Okay.

Cindy Peterson [00:27:52]:
So I talked about the paper, paper plates. What do you have for your next item that you love in this?

Angi Hanzlik [00:28:00]:
Oh gosh, let me think. I do really love the new aprons, the Hedley Bennett aprons. Those are one of my favorite things right now. And okay, these little baby cups, what are they, like 2 ounces?

Cindy Peterson [00:28:16]:
Yeah, a little hydration.

Angi Hanzlik [00:28:19]:
Yeah, they look like little yetis. So a lady came in yesterday and she's like, what would you put in here? And I said, well, You could put like a shot of espresso or something else. And she said that her daughter-in-law gave her one for Christmas with a little bottle of rumchata. Oh, so that she poured her rumchata in her little baby cup.

Cindy Peterson [00:28:49]:
I think we are— we— a lot of our summer spring items are in which maybe we would've delayed, but we were ready for spring items. But I'm excited. We're getting in a lot of Americana summer items for celebration of 250 years of the good old USA. And so that stuff's rolling in and it's really kind of cool and updated and, but some classic pieces too that kind of mix and match in our everyday stuff. But I think it's gonna be a lot of fun to have those things in our everyday lives this year. Yes. Anything else? One last item that we've had since the beginning.

Angi Hanzlik [00:29:32]:
Olive Alley. Yeah. Yeah. All the olive oil and vinegar. Couldn't live without it.

Cindy Peterson [00:29:40]:
It's delicious. I would say Smithy, the cast iron. Oh, for sure. We're the first store to bring it into South Dakota. Yeah. The first item we saw that I think we were like, oh my gosh, I don't know whether to cook with it or cuddle it.

Angi Hanzlik [00:29:55]:
Because we were looking for cast iron, but we wanted something different. And I remember we walked into that showroom and we were like—

Cindy Peterson [00:30:06]:
and it was a tiny display of like one piece and it was in the corner and we're like, this is it. So Yeah, that is one. And that's a conversation we've reached out and we're gonna set that up too where we're gonna talk to somebody at Smithy about all the things. So we're gonna get a crash course on how do you take care of your cast iron? How do you actually cook on the cast iron? So yeah, all those things that I need a refresher course in from time to time myself. So, you know, I just think it, a lot of, what we have into the store is just we're walking around and we say, oh my gosh, I like that, let's get that. And other times it's like the Hedley Bennett, that's one that we really, with those aprons you mentioned, really decided, okay, it is one of the pricier items and it's an apron. Yeah. Does the price justify? And I would say because of the quality, for sure.

Cindy Peterson [00:31:02]:
And the things in our kitchen should make us happy and make our lives easier. And I think that's a product that definitely we really thought about for years and tried to decide if we were going to bring it in or not. All right. I think that is just the best place for us to end this first episode. All right. And with many more to come, I think we'll get together at least— I don't know. We'll see. Whenever we decide we want to talk about something in the store.

Angi Hanzlik [00:31:35]:
Yeah.

Cindy Peterson [00:31:35]:
But what is to come is I've recorded a few episodes. We have them edited. I have a producer and everything. This is weird. And I would say I'm learning as I'm going, but the goal is to really kind of introduce some of the fun items that Angi and I have chosen that we love, that a lot of the time we have in our own kitchens, which has become a problem. We could write like a thank you note to our husbands for dealing with all of the things that we bring home, but You know, I talked with Dave with Fena Mill, and it's one of the first conversations. I talked with Ed with Kangshung Knives, and I'm going to have another conversation with him in Chicago here in a couple of weeks. And then our good friend Robert McGinnis with the buying group that we're a member of, and he's like TikTok famous.

Cindy Peterson [00:32:27]:
Yeah, that I never knew. And now I know that, okay, we got to So he's going to go into a little bit more on his insight with the trends of what we know and what we've learned as independent kitchen store people and the relationships we've built. But then also that side of when a trend comes up, is it a hit like the Taylor Swift bread slicer? It's definitely worth— well, if you love bread, it's one of those trends that the quality is part of that that fits the bill to have for us to have it in the store. And then we're also going to talk about some of the things that aren't quality items that go TikTok viral that we choose not to bring into the store. So just a little preview on what's to come. And thank you for following. Thank you for your patience as I learn as I go. And if I learn things are irritating, maybe just to you.

Cindy Peterson [00:33:23]:
You're over it.

Angi Hanzlik [00:33:24]:
I am totally.

Cindy Peterson [00:33:26]:
So everybody loves hearing you, your voice. I get excited. I think our curiosity with everything is what keeps us going because there's always something more to learn. And I always feel like if I'm curious about it and we're curious about it, hopefully we can help other people learn as they go so that they can make the best choices for their kitchens and their families and their homes. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. To 5 more years. Yes.

Cindy Peterson [00:33:53]:
Okay. Yay.

Angi Hanzlik [00:33:53]:
Thank you.

Cindy Peterson [00:33:55]:
Thank you. Right. Thanks for spending time with me today on Joy Curated. My hope is that something from this conversation helps you feel a little bit more confident, a little bit more curious, and a little bit more at ease, whether you're cooking or simply gathering around food with someone you love. Make sure and check out berryandbasil.com. Or join us in store to check out more of the thoughtfully curated products to support you in the kitchen. This show is written and hosted by me, Cindy Peterson, and produced by my amazing friend Casey Brown at Teal Hat Communications.

Cindy Peterson [00:34:35]:
So until next time, take care.