The Long Road (and the Little Wins)

If you’d told me last year at this time that the renovation would still be unfinished — and not just a little unfinished, but this far from the finish line — I’m honestly not sure what I would’ve done. Would I still be here, cheering this old building on? Hard to say. There have been plenty of days where it felt like the whole project was stacked against us.

But then the sun comes up, the coffee brews, and something in me says, “Not today. We don’t quit that easily.” (Was I called a stubborn child growing up? Maybe… and I’m finally seeing how that comes in handy.)

What I’ve learned through all these roadblocks is that every tiny victory — every piece of progress — shines brighter because of the struggle that came before it. Case in point: our new fire escape staircase for the upstairs at Walnut + Twine.

To bring the building up to code, we had to add a secondary exit — which meant turning an old window into a doorway and building stairs down the back of the building. I’ve never exactly loved the view from the back parking lot, but this new addition? She’s a total glow-up. Every time I pull in now, I can’t help but smile.

It might seem like a small thing in the grand scheme, but getting that staircase finished was no small feat. I lost count of how many times the crew had to send back entire lumber deliveries because the boards were warped, split, or just plain unusable. There’s nothing quite like waiting all morning for materials, only to discover they belong in the scrap pile. (Cue deep sighs and strong coffee.)

But she’s here now — sturdy, safe, and honestly, pretty lovely — a real upgrade for the back of our 100-year-old gal.

And little by little, we’re still moving toward the big goals:

• Bringing her up to code 🧱

• Adding charm and character wherever we can ✨

Hopefully, the next time I write, I’ll have more finished projects to celebrate. Until then, we decided to lean into the fun side of things — the part that reminds us why we started all this in the first place.

So next week, we’re hosting our first Pumpkins + Pastries: Community Carve-Off! 🎃
We couldn’t wait any longer to gather with all of you, so we’re jumping in — unfinished building and all! Grab your crew, carve or paint a pumpkin (you can build the perfect custom package with only the things you need), and come soak up some fall fun with us.

And who knows… maybe next year we’ll get to host it inside instead of in the parking lot. 😉