The Hearty Gourmet is October Business of the Month

From wonderful wind chimes to gourmet coffee beans, Gonzales celebrates 15 years of Main Street business with The Hearty Gourmet.

In August 2008, Ruth Gumper opened The Hearty Gourmet at 813 Saint Joseph St. Today Gonzales Main Street celebrates The Hearty Gourmet as the Main Street Business of the Month.

Ruth Gumper decided to open the shop because it truly brings her joy.

“The patrons that visit our store come in because they WANT to,” says Gumper. “They are not on a quick errand to find something requiring them to run in and out. They come and browse, visit, and even share stories.”

The most popular item that the store sells is gourmet coffee beans. Customers can buy them whole or even have the store grind them in their commercial grinder to the size they need.

As customers browse the unique offerings of gifts and kitchen must-haves, they can also enjoy complimentary tastings of flavored balsamic vinegars and cracker spreads.

Janet Currie has been with The Hearty Gourmet for five years. Along with Ruth and her daughter Sarah Liberti, the three work tirelessly to bring fun and interesting items to the store. They usually spend several days at the Dallas Market to find items not offered in big box stores. They stick as close as possible to the gourmet theme.

They offer a bridal registry and beautiful gifts to complement any décor. Thanks to Sarah’s focus on building their social media presence and participating in local vendor fairs, their business has grown from 85 percent out-of-town customers to a balance of 50 percent local and 50 percent out-of-town. When Ruth was asked about retirement, she responded that if retirement means “enjoying your golden years,” then she is living her retirement everyday with the joy her shop brings.