One such person that is committed to the city of Perry is Jodi Daley of Bodega Brew. Jodi talks of her journey of becoming a business owner in downtown Perry. “I’ve always wanted to have my own business,” she says. “But I didn’t know what it was going to be. ”Originally from Ohio, Jodi moved to middle Georgia in 2007. Previously, she says, “I worked for the state of Ohio, Department of Health, helping the communities improve their access to healthcare. ”While those years of work held incredible meaning, she longed for a change of pace. In 2018, Jodi opened Bodega Brew–her absolute pride and joy. Bodega Brew offers extraordinary coffee from a local roaster alongside traditional baked goods and food items. Unlike a traditional coffee shop, they also serve cocktails to meet your every beverage need. “We have a chef now who does a lot of different things every day,” Jodi says of Chef Delaina Wingate. “We’ve also invited special guest chefs that would come and they would create the dinner and we would sell tickets or take reservations. ”Bodega Brew hosts grill nights, offers seasonal specials, and creates an atmosphere that invites guests to stay and relax. Bodega Brew hosts local musicians to play live music on the weekends. “We try to book people every Friday and Saturday,” Jodi says. “Customers love it. A lot of times we have it outside because it’s so nice out. But we do it inside as well if it’s raining. ”Jodi has always had a passion for fresh ingredients and supporting local businesses. “In Ohio, ”she says, “I always went to the farmer’s market, and when I came here I was like, ‘Where is the farmer’s market?’ ”She was in Warner Robins at the time and quite surprised they were not seizing this opportunity. Inspired to spruce up the town with this darling addition, she says, “I met with the Visitor’s Bureau in Warner Robins and discussed a farmer’s market with the lady there. She thought it was an awesome idea. ”Jodi spoke with other city employees and they allowed them to set up a farmer’s market in one of the parks where it still is today. An instant hit, the farmer’s market blossomed into the city’s most cherished weekly ritual. Jodi describes the farmer’s market as a splendid opportunity to get to know one’s neighbors and local entrepreneurs. The Warner Robins farmer’s market caught the eye of the city of Perry. They later asked Jodi to run their farmer’s market for them, and it has been a joy to see it flourish with the help of other amazing volunteers. “I like seeing people come together,” Jodi says. “I love that the market is also an incubator for small businesses. They get their feet wet and do market research and see how hard or how satisfying it could be.”

Jodi reports that after participating in the farmer’s market, some people have gone on to start their own business. “We’ve had several people that started at the farmer’s market then opened restaurants, bakeries and soap shops.” Jodi finds it rewarding to play a part in these businesses’ exciting journey. Held every Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM, the farmer’s market usually boasts around 20vendors during the peak season. “There are not that many small growers in small family farms in middle Georgia,” Jodi says. “But the few that exist are usually in attendance. None of them travel more than an hour to the farmer’s market, so the fruits and vegetables you will find there are truly locally grown. ”Being part of the Perry farmer’s market is just one of many ways she enjoys community involvement. Jodi is a member of the Perry Chamber of Commerce. “I’m enrolled in their leadership class this year,” she shares. With about 20 members, this year-round program meets once a month to learn more about the city’s history and the people that make up the community. “Every class does something to give back to the community,” Jodi explains. “We’ve chosen to help the city parks put in a handicap accessible playground. ”To encourage networking among neighbors, the chamber hosts coffee and chat gatherings that are alternately held at Bodega Brew and Morning by Morning. Jodi shares, “In Ohio, I was from a much larger community. The county I lived in was over a million people. Here, it took a while to meet friends and find my people, my tribe.” But when she did, nothing could match the true feeling of belonging and acceptance she found in this community. Jodi talks about the comradery between business owners and the friendships that grow from helping one another. “As a business owner down here, we all work together and I’ve found a lot of good friends that way. ”This year, Jodi found a unique avenue of collaboration when the Professional Bull Riding event came to the Perry Fair Grounds in April. “This is the first time they have had a show in Perry,” Jodi shares excitedly. The group sought sponsors to pay for the facility and the production of their show. “What was so exciting about this group was they came to us, locally owned businesses, because they wanted to support local businesses. ”Jodi got eight other local businesses to join Bodega Brew in buying a $5000 sponsorship for the event. “The nine restaurants that participated offered specials or discounts. We had a QR code at the event and people at the event could click on that QR code and see what restaurants were participating.” It was a fun way to draw more businesses while supporting the Professional Bull Riding event .Around the same time, Jodi rolled out a friendly competition to help support local artists. “Artists can submit works of art and the winner will get a scholarship. Their work of art will goon the side of the building as a mural and on our custom coffee to-go cups.” Jodi plans to host this competition annually to promote local artists and support their dreams. Jodi is ambitious about her plans for Bodega Brew. Always looking for ways to improve the business, she says, “I’m excited to make things better and hopefully have a second location someday. ”It is rare and lovely when local businesses exhibit exceptional support of one another. Everyday, Bodega Brew exemplifies what it means to be committed to the community bringing true meaning to the phrase, all for one and one for all.