Today we’d like to introduce you to Hazel Rakes.
Hi Hazel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had horses and spent years riding and competing, so animals were a big part of my life long before I started a business. When I was 19, I started my own longhorn herd and got into raising hogs as well but when It came time to actually start selling beef shares and pork, I realized how difficult it was to market what I was raising and connect with customers. I realized, other local farmers and producers were facing the same challenge. They had great products, but they needed a place where people could find them. The biggest influence to what shifted in my life, was becoming a mom and it completely changed how I thought about food. We already knew where our beef and pork came from because we raised it ourselves but after having my son, I started paying more attention to everything else we brought into our home. I wanted to make it easier for other families to know where their food came from and who was producing it. That’s how the idea for High Roller Provisions came together. I wanted to bring products from my own farm and other local farms and small businesses together under one roof. That idea became our store in downtown Christiansburg. Honestly, I’m someone who gets an idea in my head and has to see it through. I didn’t have every step figured out, but I saw a need and decided to do something about it. Today, I’m balancing the farm, a full time job, the store, and being a mom while learning as I go. What started with my own animals has grown into something that connects local producers with customers, and that’s a part of the business I’m really proud of.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not! One of the biggest struggles is how expensive it is to get local meat into the store. Raising the animals is only part of it. Then there’s processing, keeping everything frozen, and all the expenses that come with having a storefront. I want to offer prices people can afford, but I also have to make enough to keep the business going. Finding that balance has been hard. I’m also constantly figuring out what people will buy, how much to keep on hand, and where I’m going to put it all. Some weeks something sells like crazy, and other weeks it barely moves. Meanwhile, the bills still come either way. Then there’s balancing all of that with the rest of my life. I have a lot on my plate, and sometimes it feels like everything needs me at the same time. I’m still learning when to ask for help instead of trying to handle everything myself. I don’t want to make it sound like I have it all figured out, because I definitely don’t. There have been plenty of stressful days and moments where I’ve questioned what I got myself into. But seeing people come back, hearing that they loved something they bought, and being able to support other local producers reminds me why I started.
We’ve been impressed with High Roller Provisions , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
High Roller Provisions is a local food and farm store in downtown Christiansburg. Our main focus is locally raised meat, but we carry everything from eggs, dairy, and honey to pantry items and products made by other small businesses. Meat is a big part of what we do. We offer individual cuts, bundles, beef shares, and subscription boxes, so customers have options whether they want a couple of steaks or want to stock their freezer. What sets us apart is the connection to the people behind the products. I raise livestock myself, and I work directly with many of the producers we carry. If someone asks where something came from, we can have an actual conversation about it. These are people we know and businesses we’re getting to know personally. Brand wise, I’m most proud that High Roller has kept that connection to the farm as it’s grown. I want the store to feel welcoming, somewhere people can ask questions and actually get an answer of where the product came from and who produced it. I also want readers to know they don’t have to buy a whole freezer full of meat to shop with us. You can come in for a pound of ground beef, a carton of eggs, or a jar of honey. Those everyday purchases matter to a small business and to the producers whose products we carry.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think more people are going to want to know where their food comes from and have a closer connection to the people raising it. That doesn’t mean everyone is going to buy everything locally, but I think more families will start looking for ways to work local food into their regular grocery shopping. I also think convenience will be a big part of it. People are busy, so we have to make buying local easy. I see preorders, pickup options, meat bundles, and subscription boxes becoming a bigger part of how farms and small stores reach customers. People want to support you, but it has to work with their schedule and budget too. One change I hope we see is more access to inspected meat processing. From my own experience, that’s a major hurdle. If we want more locally raised meat available, we need places that can process it without farmers having to spend so much time and money traveling. Over the next five to ten years, I think the businesses that do well will be the ones that stay connected to their customers and are willing to adjust. For me, that means listening to what people actually need and finding ways to make local food a practical part of their lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://highrollernrv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highrollerprovisions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/High-Roller-Provisions-61588533585868/
