It’s no wonder customers linger with a cup of coffee on the comfy couch even when they’re done shopping. Or just stop by to play with Wally, Mallory’s black lab. (They know he’s in when the black lab statue is in the window.) Demeter’s Common, owned and operated by Mallory Jennings, is as welcoming as grandma’s house, and that’s just what Mallory wants. Located in downtown Lebanon, it’s a funky, warm store stocked with local produce, meats, milk, locally made crafts, art and vintage collectables. The day we visited, Mallory was fluttering around the space loading prepared foods into the back coolers, helping a new employee learn the register, greeting customers by first name while giving away day-old gluten-free donuts. All the while checking on the slow-roasted beef with tomatoes that was simmering away in the back.
This colorful, eclectic, a little bit hippy, a little bit country but all fresh, local and welcoming place is the embodiment of Mallory.
She gets her love of food honest. Her grandfather, Dan Evins, founded Cracker Barrel in the 1960s. He thought folks on the new interstates should be able to get home-cooked meals in a clean, comfortable place while shopping for unique gifts and self-indulgences, many reminiscent of America’s country heritage. You could say Mallory is doing the same thing with Demeter’s Common.
Mallory opened Demeter’s Common in 2019 after working for six years as the farm market manager at Green Door Gourmet, where she connected with farmers, chefs and food-lovers across the country. She has a degree in agriculture from Tennessee Tech, and during a study abroad in the Czech Republic in 2011, she noted the giant statue of Demeter in the middle of town and felt an instant connection. In ancient Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of harvest and agriculture, presiding over crops, grains, food and the fertility of the earth.
“The goddess Demeter inspires me. She represents utilizing and protecting the earth which is what the store strives to do too,” Mallory explains. “I want to bridge the gap between consumers and farmers by bringing food and products to our local community. I also love supporting local female farmers and entrepreneurs.”
After opening Demeter’s Common, Mallory got married, weathered the pandemic, got divorced, and despite these setbacks, has committed to turning the space into a nourishing community spot where everyone is welcome.
“Community is so important here. I believe it is essential that I can educate my customers about local milk and the farm that it came from, how to cook kohlrabi, when it is in season and the beauty of tasting a homegrown tomato in the middle of July.” She is connecting consumers and farmers in her own unique way. “I’m very proud of the community we’re creating. Since opening, Demeter’s Common has provided 30-plus local families with their weekly milk, eggs, vegetables and more.”
Demeter’s Common also hosts regular community events including brunches, trivia nights and poetry nights. “If someone wants to hold a community event, I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.” And on Sept. 24, they are helping to host Lebanon's farm-to-table dinner on the street in front of the store.
Jennings is also in the process of writing a cookbook with recipes she’s created and grew up eating called “Eat at Home,” from the Paul McCartney song of the same name.
She’s a goddess indeed as she presides over her own community, sharing her love of food, local goodness and people.
116 N College St., Lebanon, Tenn.
@demeterscommon
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