With a passion for food, wellness, togetherness, and the Athens community, opening an organic and natural food grocery store with a focus on locally sourced products was something the Kinnard family had dreamed about for years. And when the perfect location became available in the heart of Athens, they decided to get serious. Each member of the family contributed their expertise to the project.

Valerie – a seasoned local entrepreneur – authored and compiled the business plan and financials. Tim took on the role of general contractor for the building renovation. Jeremy contributed IT knowledge; researching and implementing our point of sale software and equipment, setting up network and security systems.

Kristi, general manager of Career Connections, assisted the project by recruiting and staffing the market with its opening crew and being readily available for HR advice. Riley contributed the vision and concept of the market from the company culture to the product mix to the store layout and aesthetics. Some of her inspiration came from time spent working at an organic food coop in Southern California but more than that, she drew inspiration from the unique vibrancy of the Athens community.

Kindred Market opened in May of 2019. As one might imagine, this labor of love amounted to so much more than a grocery store. It is a community center and a conscious retailer making choices that support the health of our customers and growth of the local economy. The Kinnard family would like to thank their incredible employees, their generous investors, and all of the special people who helped along the way. They are grateful for the myriad of lessons this collaboration taught (and continues to teach) them. Lastly, they are eternally grateful to all of their amazing customers for their support.