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Preppin’ Mama moves downtown with a focus on healthy living and community
The mother daughter duo hope to take their passion for clean, locally-sourced food to the next level with a new storefront focused on blending community, commerce, and history
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MT. PLEASANT — Dani Murphy and her daughter, Tatum Kane, took a significant step forward in their journey with Preppin' Mama by welcoming their closest friends and family to their new space at 120 South Main St. Suite #103 to share their hopes and dreams for a storefront that will bring the community together, and celebrate Murphy’s birthday.
"Tonight wasn’t open to the public," Murphy said. "If you are here tonight, it’s because you are our church family, a vendor who has inspired us, or someone who has meant something in our journey."
The evening included drinks, treats, and prayer, all reflecting the duo's commitment to their faith and community. Murphy, who has worn many hats throughout her career — including a stint as a chamber director — shared her passion for connecting people and businesses.
"Connecting people is where I am fulfilled," Murphy said. "All of you have played a role in our journey, and we are grateful."
Preppin' Mama, known for its freeze-dried goods and commitment to clean ingredients, started with a simple investment in a freeze dryer. Murphy and her husband, both passionate about the food they put into their bodies began this journey by freeze-drying their family's farm produce. Soon, friends and neighbors expressed interest, leading to expanded operations and vendor partnerships.
"We started by selling at garage sales and farmers markets," Murphy recalled. "We couldn't keep up with demand, and we realized we had something special."
Murphy's passion for providing healthy food options is at the core of Preppin' Mama's mission. She believes that access to clean, nutritious food should be simple and accessible for everyone.
"We want people to know where their food comes from and to feel confident about what they’re putting into their bodies," Murphy said. "It's about bringing it back to the basics and supporting local farmers and artisans in the process."
As the business grew, so did their vision. Murphy shared how she felt a calling to take this next step in her business with her daughter at her side. After she felt God affirmed this, her decisions to open a storefront in downtown Mt. Pleasant was solidified.
"God took all these pieces — my love for history, clean food, and community — and showed me a vision," she said. "I felt on fire, and I knew it was time."
The new storefront will be developed in phases, beginning with retail space for local vendors, followed by a juice bar run by Kane, and ultimately, a fully licensed commercial kitchen.
"Phase one is getting everything cleared out and prepped for our vendors," Murphy said. "We hope to have that open by late spring or early summer."
The retail space will feature shelves that vendors can rent at an affordable rate, providing a platform for local artisans and farmers to showcase their goods.
"We want to give people an opportunity to bring their talents to market without the overhead of a traditional storefront," Murphy explained.
Vendors will be charged a reasonable monthly rental fee for shelf space and then keep all the money made from their product sales.
The shop will, of course, feature Preppin’ Mama favorites like freeze dried fruits, vegetables and candies. Certainly, the popular cookies will make an appearance, as well.
Murphy dreams of the shop containing more than just products, though, she hopes for this to be a space for people to connect and find the best healthy basics for their homes. She anticipates offering farm fresh eggs, grind your own flour mills, and a trading post for people to use to get connected.
Murphy explained that Kane is her partner on this endeavor and will be receiving a percentage of ownership as they expand. As a partner, Kane is excited to bring Little Mama’s Juice Bar to the space as phase two.
This juice bar will feature nutrient-dense cold-pressed juices, mold-free coffee, and a space for people to gather. According to Murphy, Kane is even considering going back to school to learn more about nutrition education to better serve customers.
“We have an incredible bar from the early 1900s it's 12 foot long, about 1,000 pounds,” Murphy said.
However, moving the bar into the space presents logistic challenges.
"It’s massive," Murphy said. "We need help with tools and manpower to get it in through the front window. So, if you know someone or you can help, Tatum would love that, because that is all hers.”
Even though adding this bar won’t be easy, Murphy says incorporating pieces of history is important to her.
“It’s deeply meaningful to me that we’re preserving pieces of our history,” she said. “These items serve as a connection to a time not so long ago, when communities were self-sufficient and relied on each other, before the rise of big box stores.”
The final phase, the most ambitious, involves building out a commercial kitchen that will allow Preppin' Mama to expand its product line to long-term food storage solutions.
"The kitchen is the biggest investment," Murphy said. "We pray it won’t take a year, but we’re prepared for the long haul."
Murphy emphasized the role of faith in their journey and invited those present to join them in prayer.
"We are asking for prayer angels," Murphy said. "People willing to pray over our vendors, our hands, and the food we touch."
Preppin' Mama is also looking for financial support and networking opportunities.
"We believe in barter and trade," Murphy said. "If you know a plumber or someone with a three-section sink they’re willing to part with, we want to hear from you."
As Preppin' Mama embarks on this next chapter, Murphy remains committed to her grassroots approach, building phase by phase, and staying true to her values.
"We want to break strongholds in households," Murphy said. "People are hungry for knowledge, and we want to be a resource."
The evening ended with a prayer session, solidifying the support and excitement surrounding Preppin' Mama's future.
"This is all about bringing the community together," Murphy said. "We can’t wait to see what the future holds."
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
