Homegrown Food to close

Roundtree neighborhood market Homegrown Food LLC is slated to close this month after nearly six years in operation.

In a post yesterday on the company’s Facebook page, owner Brad Nelson said he decided to leave the 607 S. Pickwick Ave. market because he’s been stretched too thin. He also works as a Springfield firefighter.

“With limited resources and the demands of two careers, I have reluctantly realized that I can no longer put forth what is needed to grow this venture further,” Nelson said in the post.

Reached this morning via email, the owner said he plans to close the six-employee Homegrown Food at the end of the month, but indicated he’s interested in selling the business.

“It is for sale, and I’m entertaining any ideas,” he said via email, noting he hasn’t connected with a broker.

Nelson bought the small business in 2012 from founders Ryan and Amanda Owen. The Owens, who still own the building via Owen Holdings LLC, opened shop in May 2010. A move next door on Pickwick in early 2012 more than double the space to its current 1,200 square feet.

Homegrown Food, which contains a commercial kitchen, sells locally grown and prepared products, with an emphasis on organic foods. The company produced 2013 earnings of $250,000, according to Springfield Business Journal’s May 2014 Business Spotlight article.