Helping out in the family restaurant business has been a boon for Isabella, as well, Jessica says. But we were sold on the name,” Jessica says.Īs an aficionado of all things related to pickles, I’ll give the name two thumbs up. “We had a 50/50 split of friends and family that loved or hated it. “I wanted to do burgers since she has a love for them.” “We knew we wanted something more flexible with hours, so I told her let’s just do a food truck,” Jessica says. Prior to Pickles and Buns, Isabella would help her mom out with things like taking orders at Tinga Tacos, a downtown shop Jessica previously co-owned. Owner Jessica Oliva tells me she and her daughter, 13-year-old Isabella, have been in it together since the beginning, and then some. In reporting on the business shutting down, another point of interest arose: a unique family venture. So, when a Facebook post from the company this month informed customers of an upcoming closure, I was disheartened. Whether it’s my last name appearing in the company moniker, the delicious sliders or the kind owners, it hit all the right notes for me. Two-year-old food truck Pickles and Buns is my kind of place. Jessica Oliva and her daughter, Isabella, are closing Pickles and Buns this month. So long to Pickles and Buns, a family venture So, go ahead, pick blackberries, and if you’re in the mood, give “BlackBerry” a try. Springfield Business Journal also recently had a Business Spotlight article on Republic-based Missouri Berries, which was purchased by the Little family, formerly of PFI Western Stores. I’m lucky to have a family connection to one of those farms: My wife’s uncle owns Brown’s Berry Farm in Miller.

It reminds me of what’s important in life: being in the moment, connecting with friends and family, and supporting others in the community by checking out their business endeavors. There’s a connection to the fruit, to the land and to the people you’re with, as well as the owners, that is unlike other businesses.Īgritourism is about getting back to humanity’s roots, and the connections you make along the way with yourself, nature and others is an experience that’s difficult to replicate. Several local farms offer customers the ability to pick their own fruits, including blackberries, and there’s nothing quite like it. They, too, have connection as a major theme, particularly in this area. That takes me to blackberries, the fruit.

My main takeaways from “BlackBerry” are that cutting corners ultimately will yield poor results, communication and human connection are important and even profitable, and sticking to one’s roots is generally a good strategy in life and business.įor BlackBerry devices, connection was a huge component: The ability to text friends and business associates via free, instant mobile messaging was a game-changer at the time of release around the turn of the century. I found “BlackBerry” to generally be a good film that’s carried by the acting of Glenn Howerton and is much funnier than “The Social Network,” though the latter movie is arguably the better of the two. For “The Social Network,” it was Facebook, and for “BlackBerry,” it’s the defunct phone of the same name. Like “The Social Network” before it, you’re in for a biographical drama that shows the origins of popular technology.

Have you seen the 2023 film “BlackBerry” yet?

A family venture