'I need your help': Vegan dessert shop owner posts GoFundMe to save Louisville business
The popluar popular vegan dessert shop Rawnaissance is in trouble.
Slovakia native and owner Barbora Shneydman spent weeks preparing to table at the vegan festival Bluegrass VegFest earlier this month. But the night before the festival began, she came down with COVID-19.
Instead of the sales she hoped to make at the festival, Shneydman could not attend and had to close Rawnaissance, 1759 Bardstown Road, for days.
On Tuesday, she posted a GoFundme campaign for $20,000 to save the business. As of this writing, the fund has raised just over $7,800.
"Those of you who know me a little know that I’m a fiercely independent being and rarely ask for help," she wrote. "But I’m single and all alone in business, don’t have wealthy parents, and I’ve already sold everything of value I’ve owned to inject Rawnaissance with more and more funds it needs to keep afloat. We have a massive stack of bills and need inventory to keep going. Any amount of money you could kindly contribute would help!"
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The pandemic took a toll on Rawnaissance just like every other restaurant or cafe. Recipe staples such as nuts and coconut cream, vital to making vegan desserts, has doubled. Shneydman absorbed the cost herself rather than raising dessert prices.
"It’s not easy, and certainly not cheap to create a tasty product of substance that will be free of cheap fillers and artificial ingredients," she wrote. "I would love to continue doing that. But now, I need your help to keep creating beautiful, delicious and healthy treats for all of Louisville and beyond to enjoy."
She explained in the post that the initial goal amount will allow Rawnaissance to catch up with bills and expenses and keep the doors open. Anything raised above that goal would enable her to hire kitchen help and expand the menu.
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Shneydman opened Rawnaissance in 2013 in the Highlands, focusing originally on cakes and pies. Eventually, the offerings expanded to include gelato, popsicles and other desserts. Her GoFundMe announcement comes just two weeks after Angela Pike, owner of the gluten-free cafe Silly Axe Cafe, also posted a fundraiser to save her business. Both business owners cited exorbitant specialty food costs as a contributing factor to their struggles.
Rawnaissance is open Wednesday and Thursday 5-8 p.m., Friday 5-9 p.m., Saturday 1-9 p.m. and Sunday 1-8 p.m. Visit gofundme.com/f/keep-rawnaissance-going to donate to the fund.
Features reporter Dahlia Ghabour covers food, dining trends and restaurants in the Louisville area. Send tips on new places or story ideas to dghabour@courier-journal.com or follow on Twitter @dghabour.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Rawnaissance Vegan bakery owner posts GoFundMe to save business
