Local entrepreneurs take tried and true businesses to a whole new level

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Finding ways to stay innovative and unique is a priority for many business owners but some take it to a whole new level.

Restaurants and greenhouses aren’t new concepts but some local entrepreneurs took these tried and true experiences and made them unique, like Nell’s Gourmet To Go.

“We fit that area between restaurant, in-house dining, take out, and fast food. So we’re fresh-made meals to go, entrees, desserts, salads, small batch catering,” said Marinell Simpson, owner of Nell’s Gourmet To Go.

And the brand new, Uprooted.

“Beginner friendly but also some more rare plants as well for our advanced plant’s owners so kind of something for everybody and different things you might not see around this area as well,” said Jess Huntsman, co-owner of Uprooted.

The three friends behind Uprooted were inspired by social media to create South Dakota’s first mobile plant shop.

“Kind of an idea that started with a TikTok and grew and bloomed into something beautiful. So two of my friends and I got this together, all plant lovers, and wanted to be able to bring plants to people and share our love of plants,” said Huntsman. ”Not just having a brick and mortar to tie you down to one location, we’ll be able to reach a bunch of other people in the Black Hills area.”

And reaching a new audience was also a goal for the woman behind Nell’s Gourmet To Go.

“People really like the fact that you can have a home-cooked meal without having to actually do all the work and make the mess and have the dishes,” said Simpson. “A lot of people we cook for are professionals, people who own businesses, medical professionals, a lot of people that are just very busy, a lot of people who love to cook but don’t have time.”

And making things easier for their customers is exactly what Huntsman and Simpson hope will keep their unique ventures growing.

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