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Kendall Strickland, owner of Strickland Pride Produce, sells vegetables at the grand opening of his store's new Crawford location on Feb 5. About 50 people attended the ribbon cutting to shop his selection of fruits, vegetables and other goods. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
Pattie Wardell, a customer from the Glade, volunteers to set up at the grand opening of Strickland Pride Produce's Crawford location on Feb. 5, 2024. Wardell was among a group of about five volunteers who helped during the opening. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
Strickland Pride Produce sells a variety of fruits, vegetables and canned goods during its grand opening on Feb. 5, 2024. Kendall Strickland, the owner of Strickland Pride Produce, relocated the shop from a roadside stand in Lexington to a building in Crawford. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
Strickland Pride Produce's new location is fully enclosed but can be an open-air shop when its doors are open. Kendall Strickland, owner of the shop, hoped to protect himself and shoppers from the elements when purchasing the building. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
Strickland Pride Produce sells locally produced honey during its grand opening on Feb. 5, 2024. Kendall Strickland, owner of the produce shop, plans to host beekeeping demonstrations at the shop in the coming months. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
The new store location of Strickland Pride Produce is visible from Athens Road in Crawford on Feb. 5, 2024. Kendall Strickland, owner of the produce shop, hopes this visibility will increase business. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
Williamson Sintyl (from left), Terri Strickland, Kendall Strickland and Yolanda Strickland celebrate the relocation and grand opening of Strickland Pride Produce on Feb. 5, 2024. Yolanda Strickland, mother of Kendall Strickland, was proud to see her son bring his passion for agriculture to the store's new location. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)
Pattie Wardell and her husband, Rick, were among a group of about five volunteers who helped Kendall Strickland, owner of Strickland Pride Produce, set up tables, arrange produce and manage the checkout counter during the grand opening of Strickland Pride Produce.
“We met through the farm stand, and he became like our kid to be honest,” Pattie Wardell said. “We just love him to death. We’d do anything for him.”
Strickland celebrated the grand opening of his store’s new Crawford location on Feb. 5. The Wardells were among about 50 people who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place outside of the store’s new building on Athens Road.
“I’m feeling elated about it,” Strickland said. “I’ve been getting a lot of support from folks in the community as you see.”
After the ceremony, attendees shopped for a variety of fruits, vegetables and canned goods.
“It’s amazing that this many people are here supporting Kendall,” said Owen Bullard, co-chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce. “That just tells you how much people like Kendall and his business.”
Strickland moved his business from a roadside stand on East Main Street in Lexington. That location had tables and a canopy tarp to block the weather, but the sides were open to the weather.
Strickland’s new location is fully enclosed, but can be an open-air shop when its doors are open.
“Having the shelter here really is beneficial to folks coming in and not being in the elements,” Strickland said. “It provides a lot more comfort for people shopping. Definitely having storage keeps my produce a lot more fresh, and just allows me to have a whole lot more shelf life. Also having more actual space to put in my displays and all of my produce.”
Strickland’s new location also offers increased visibility and convenience.
“I think he’s gonna get a lot more business here,” said Rick Wardell, who lives in the Glade community.
Utilizing the larger space, Strickland plans to host gardening and agriculture workshops, and beekeeping demonstrations.
He also plans to have a lending library, which will be a box from which people can borrow gardening and farming books, and magazines.
Strickland considers this move a significant “upgrade.” However, Bullard said he believes the new location will feel “just as good” because of Strickland’s kindness.
“You could not be at his stand without someone coming by and blowing the horn, waving because they all love him so much,” Pattie Wardell said.
Strickland has been developing his passion for agriculture since childhood, his mother Yolanda Strickland said. As a young adult, he had a garden and grew pumpkins and tomatoes at their home in Illinois.
She’s proud to see his passion continue at the new location of Strickland Pride Produce, she said.
“He loves this community, and he wants to see it thrive,” Yolanda Strickland said. “He wants folks to love the vegetables and what he brings to the community. Whatever is good for him and this community, I'm happy.”