HANK & HAZEL’S OPEN PATIO TO FIRE-IMPACTED BUSINESSES
In recent weeks, the aroma of fat, juicy peaches, redolent of summer, have lured dozens of people downtown on Sundays to Hank & Hazel’s Really Good Sausages on Merchant Street.
Though the eatery — which does have really good sausages and other edibles — is closed on that day, owners Sarah and Andy Harper opened their large patio to local businesses impacted by the destructive LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
Brazelton Ranch was one of those businesses hurt by the August blaze, and it’s their notable peaches and stone fruit that brings people out in droves. Let’s just say that if you had Brazelton fruit, you understand the draw.
“They’ve been really amazing in allowing us to do this,” said Liz Brazelton by phone on Thursday. “Them letting us use their space was huge for us. We would have had a lot of fruit loss otherwise.”
It’s been a learning curve, she added, as she’s not used to selling off property. But since much of their neighborhood was destroyed and Pleasants Valley Road had become somewhat of a disaster zone, the family is grateful for the opportunity.
For their part, the Harpers are happy to help.
Sarah credits her dad with the idea. He apparently lives near Brazelton Ranch and loves to go grab peaches and chat with the folks as he does so.
“When he realized the implications of Pleasants Valley Road being closed on their farmstand, he started trying to come up with ideas of where they could sell their produce,” she explained. “When I heard his idea, our patio came to mind — it’s perfectly laid out for them to sell over the bar/counter.”
Very simply, it was a way to offer a helping hand to others in need.
“It felt like a way we could have a much bigger impact than if we made a financial contribution to a GoFundMe,” she continued.
“Now that we’re in the midst of it, there are so many other benefits. We’ve gotten to know the Brazelton family as we’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with them on their peach sales days, and they are wonderful!
“We’ve been inspired to add peach relishes and salsas to our menu, which have been so fun for our customers to try, and we’ve been able to meet so many new potential customers that had never heard of us before the peach pop ups. That was so unexpected for us, but it’s been a blast getting to serve these new customers.” Brazelton agreed. Longtime customers visit them at the eatery, but there have also been newcomers.
“We definitely did get some people, they saw what was going on and stopped by,” she said. “We sell everything out here, except the prunes.” Aside from peaches, there have also been nectarines and pluots.
Another bonus — strong relationships.
“Now we have new friends in Sarah and Andy,” Brazelton said.
New recently has been the addition of olive oil from Soul Food Farms.
Harper said she plans to keep the Sunday fruit stand going through the season, “or at least until the roads open back up for the Brazelton farmstand to reopen.”
Essentially, it’s all about community.
“When we originally founded Hank & Hazel’s it was with a mindset to promote better food options in Vacaville. In our home we cook from a CSA box, and buy whole animals from ranches where they raise them right,” she said. “Any chance we have to promote that type of agriculture that is better for our health and better for the earth, we’re all about it.”
Hank & Hazel’s is located at 501 Merchant St. The Sunday stand is open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/hankandhazels.