When Galit Korngold had the idea of opening a store eight years ago, her vision included Mallory Rice, Nucla native whose roots go back to the time the CCC Ditch construction.
“Mallory had just moved back to Nucla, and we became instant friends; we had so much in common, and we shared the same interests. At the time, however, Mallory decided that she would rather work at Wild Gals rather than partner. She has always been a primary and very important part of the team. Then, just over a year ago, I looked at Mallory and said, ‘You know what, I still wish you were my partner!’"
Rice decided she was ready. They “shook hands and had a big, giant hug, and the rest is history.”
Korngold agreed they have a “flow,” and it’s “magical.”
“We literally always share the same thoughts at the same time. We are aligned in our values and have so much fun when we are in the shop together,” she said. “It literally doesn’t feel like work. It’s like a dance when we are in the kitchen together, two people — one mind.”
The two ladies added they’ve found a really good system for dividing out duties, based on their interests and skills. Rice has great organizational skills and also makes the most amazing jams and other preserved goodies.
“She’s warm and friendly and loves interacting with customers,” Korngold said. “She’s an absolute gem in the kitchen and everyone loves anything she bakes.”
On the other hand, Korngold has taken on all the catering projects, visual store organization, advertising and social media and, of course, bringing in exciting new flavors and food options to the food desert in the West End.
“She's the most amazing and ‘wildest’ front-woman of all the Wild Gals,” Rice said. “Her vision sets the tone for everything we do.”
They agreed they’re like “two peas in a pod” and “the dressing to each other's salad.” They said they support each other with store projects and in their personal lives.
“We both feel like we are a great match,” they said.
So, what does the future hold for the two Wild Gals?
“We are always excited about bringing healthy, local and homemade food to our community,” they said. “We look forward to developing more of our own Wild Gals-branded value-added products and growing the business to serve more customers.”
They’re very grateful their food and grocery business is so loved and supported by the West End. They’re happy to do what they love and also employ locals. Currently, five part-time people are on staff.
“When Wild Gal’s was a baby sprout, there were people who didn't believe it was going to make it, and here we are, almost seven years later,” Korngold said. “We've overcome the odds of surviving the first five years, and we can proudly say that we are established. We have heard from many people that have moved to the area that the access we provide to healthy food played a major role in making their decision to move to the West End.”
The ladies added they’ve officially eliminated all seed oils from the homemade foods, including the ingredients they use, like mayonnaise.
“We also actively vet all the products that we sell and opt for the healthier oil options whenever possible, so that our customers can feel secure that they are getting the healthiest food around,” they said.
Editor’s note: Funding for this story was provided by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, as part of its "Spreading Love Through the Media" initiative, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
