Herbivorous Butcher to reopen Friday, 6 months after devastating fire
When you step inside Herbivorous Butcher, it's hard to believe that just six months ago, a fire broke out above Aubry Walch's vegan butcher shop.
"Every time I would come in, my heart would just sink into my stomach," said Aubry Walch, who co-owns Herbivorous Butcher, alongside her brother, Kale Walch.
Herbivorous Butcher is known as the first vegan butcher shop in the country.
The goal was always to return to their northeast Minneapolis shop, but Walch said paying for it, even with insurance, was an uphill climb. That's when neighbors stepped in.
"The love of our community and our employees have 100% pushed everything forward," said Aubry Walch.
An online fundraiser has raised just shy of $70,000, while they temporarily worked out of a community kitchen.
Walch said they're ready to reopen at 10 a.m. on Friday. Orders for Thanksgiving are already sold out.
"How our architect originally designed everything was so perfect, and so we just gave the construction company back the original plans and said, 'Please bring her back to life,'" said Aubry Walch.
It's a reinvigorated space, once again bustling with employees, inside a community staple.
"Coming in now and seeing it back to life brings me back to life," said Aubry Walch.