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Starting from the idea born in the project “Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022” in the project “Modern elderly” and the desire of the community to complement cultural financing by themselves, the store starts under its roof with about 40 entrepreneurs or individual producers. All of them are related in one way or another to the campus of the Academy or its surroundings.
Immediately after the opening, visitors will see an exhibition of wood paintings by the artist Valdonė Gudaitienė.
Many unexpected products have been created
“LOKALI: Made in Akademija” will offer visitors the products made by the Academy: various food products, as well as jewelry, textiles, flowers, leather products, paintings. The Academy community invites you to visit before Christmas and assures you that here you can find exclusive Christmas gifts.
“This means that brands that we are already used to seeing in the Academy or in the surrounding villages (Ringaudai, Noreikiškės, Kačerginė, Zapyškis) will be in this store. First of all, it is convenient.
However, the interesting thing is that very unexpected products are created. We not only have crafts, but also cosmetics, candles, home scents. Also a wide variety of foods: from oil, syrup, caramel, lifotic, dried fruits and vegetables, honey of various flavors. There are also toys, jewelry, crochet, and knitted slippers created by the locals.
I would name canned quail eggs as one of the exclusive products that can be purchased from us, they are produced by a single company in Lithuania, ”said the store manager. Kristina Šiožinienė.
Looked at searches creatively
K.Šiožinienė said that one of the shelves in the store will be dedicated to social enterprises: “Now we have products from the Lithuanian Samaritan community. The most interesting thing is that there is diversity. I remember when we were starting to open up, they told us: what will there be here, medinukai and molinukai? And here we have everything from dried crickets to warm bathrobes. “
According to K.Šiožinienė, 40 companies and individual producers are just the beginning and this is not all that has already been discovered at the Academy: “We believe that we have discovered only about 40 percent of local producers.”
A shelf in the store will be dedicated to social business.
These range from a grandmother with a granddaughter who sews toys from textile waste to a large company called Choco Group, which makes chocolate products.
“There are manufacturers that produce and supply products to other countries as well. For example, sauce maker BUGA’s. They take part in various exhibitions and nobody believes what a Lithuanian company is. Their products will also be with us, ”said the store manager.
There is a need for cultural events.
Head of the Community Center of the Academy Daiva Gavrilčikė says that this social business is very important to the community itself.
“Most of the members of our community are young entrepreneurs, young families. So they try to earn extra money and for themselves. departure to the points of sale would be impossible. We have given them such an opportunity and they appreciate it very much, ”said D. Gavrilčikė.
Proceeds from the store will be used for community cultural events, educational and social activities. This is also important for local producers: they know that they will not only earn money for themselves, but also contribute to their community.
Lokali Store
“Although we have the support of the Kaunas District Municipality, the need for cultural events in the community is growing. Therefore, the profits of the store will be used for that, “said D. Gavrličikė.
It shows the capacity of a community to take responsibility.
Elder of the Academy Skirmantas Nominaitis He says that he himself was mainly surprised by the assortment of the store, as many products are not fully visible.
“This development of the idea of a social business model shows the capacity of the community to assume certain responsibilities. After all, this store will operate under the same market conditions as other market participants. So it is not so easy to assume that kind of responsibility.
On the way to implementing the idea, everything was there, there were several considerations, but I am glad that the community does not choose the easy path, but chooses to follow unexplored paths, ”said the old man.
S. Nominaitis hopes that the project will be successful and useful for the community as a social return.
“Of course, there is even more value or urgency for the community to get started in the face of today’s pandemic when other businesses close or change direction. I think it is brave and very welcome to start at such a time ”, said the interlocutor.
“LOKALI: made in Akademija” is located in the Kaunas district, Akademija, Varžupio str. 1, RIMI shopping center.
The project is implemented by: Public Institution “Academy of Professional Masters” and the Community Center of the Academy. Partners: “Kaunas and Kaunas District – European Capital of Culture 2022”, Academy Eldership. Sponsors: Kaunas District Municipality, UAB GB Group, UAB VetMarket, UAB Pilėnų klinika
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