Small Business Week: Nourishing Community, One Meal at a Time

When we opened the doors to the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, we never could have imagined how deeply rooted our business would become — not just in food, but in people. What began as a family project built on our passion for ancestral foodways has grown into something much bigger: a thriving community hub, a living classroom, and what we hope is becoming a model for regenerative, mission-driven business.

In honor of Small Business Week, we want to take a moment to reflect on what this journey has meant to us and why we believe small businesses are such a powerful force for change.

Brianna (and Bill) baked sourdough bread for the social action committee in March and April 2020 that started it all!

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More Than a Business

At its heart, Modern Stone Age is about nourishment — not just physical nourishment, but emotional, cultural, and communal nourishment. Through every loaf of sourdough bread, every class at the Food Lab, and every conversation at the counter, we aim to reconnect people with real food, their health, and each other.

We’ve always seen ourselves as more than just entrepreneurs. We are social entrepreneurs — and over time, we've also become culinary storytellers. We use food not only to nourish, but to tell stories, to share traditions, and to connect people across time and place. Our ethnographic work has taken us around the world — cooking alongside Indigenous families, learning traditional techniques, foraging, hunting, fermenting, and most importantly, sharing food. These experiences allow us to bring global wisdom home and offer it back to our community in real and tangible ways.

That means:

• Honoring ancestral and traditional approaches to food that celebrate cultures across the globe.

• Using food as a vehicle to make the world a little smaller and a lot more connected.

• Sourcing ingredients responsibly and working directly with farmers.

• Teaching ancestral foodways that empower people to take their health into their own hands.

• Operating with zero waste and deep respect for our resources.

• Valuing our team, paying fair wages, and genuinely caring for their wellbeing.

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Regenerative Business in Action

Our business model is built on regeneration — of land, health, community, and culture. Just like regenerative agriculture focuses on building soil, we believe a regenerative business should leave people and places better than we found them.

That means:

• Supporting local farms.

• Passing down knowledge.

• Creating opportunities for meaningful work.

• Encouraging people to slow down and connect — with their food, their family, and themselves.

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Built by a Family. Sustained by a Team.

What started as our family’s effort to live and eat differently has grown into a full team effort. We now employ over 30 incredible people who share our passion for health, sustainability, and community. Every person on our team contributes their unique skills and heart to this work — and that’s what makes it truly special.

This growth wasn’t something we planned. But we’re endlessly grateful that this is where life led us. It’s been challenging, humbling, and deeply rewarding — and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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The Power of Community Support

It should come as no surprise that some of the people who helped us the most along the way were equally as passionate about their work as we are about ours. We’re incredibly grateful for several small business owners who lent their support — especially in the early days:

• Chef Chris Golder (currently of The Flying Decoy in Rock Hall) generously allowed us to receive deliveries of flour and ingredients at 98 Cannon when we were still operating out of our home.

• Nicki Sener from Ten Eyck Brewery was a constant source of inspiration and camaraderie as we both built our businesses from the ground up. Ten Eyck served as one of our earliest sourdough drop-off points during the Rise by Brianna phase, and we even collaborated on a custom beer inoculated with our sourdough mother plus we bought our 1st customer fridge from Nicki!

• Noah Kegley from Rise Up Coffee Roasters offered invaluable guidance and advice as we built our coffee program. Thanks to his support, we have a thriving coffee program and continue to serve Rise Up coffee in all of our espresso drinks and cold brew to this day.

These are just a few of the many small business owners and community members who have supported us — and continue to do so — on this journey. Their generosity and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping who we are today, and we are endlessly thankful for their belief in what we do.

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Why Small Business Matters

Small businesses are not just the backbone of the economy — they are the heart of our communities. They’re where relationships are built, where values are lived out, and where transformation begins. Supporting small business means investing in people who care about their work, their neighbors, and their world.

This week — and every week — we thank you for supporting our small business. Whether you come in for a loaf of bread, sign up for a class, or simply spread the word, you are helping us build something real, rooted, and resilient.

From our family (and team) to yours: thank you for being part of this journey.

Come be nourished.
Come build something beautiful.
Come see what small business can do.

And wherever you live — we encourage you to support the small businesses that resonate with your values. Seek out businesses that reflect the kind of world you want to help build. Every dollar spent at a small business is a vote for a more connected, ethical, and nourishing future.

Our family in 2021 - thank you for supporting our family business!