Radical Gardens focuses on the positives after a string of bad luck

From growing organic produce on her Dalton Road farm, to creating a new festival, to being the target of vitriol by the crowd at 'Rock on The River' for handing out cupcakes, the last few months have proved 'very interesting' for Brianna Humphrey of Radical Gardens.

The latest adventure saw the market and lunchtime hotspot the target of the second break-in attempt this summer.

Humphrey received a call from police around 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning, and she rushed to the scene.

"The only thing I had around to grab was a onesie, so I showed up in a fuzzy onesie to discover a smashed door and disco ball going," she said.

The officer told her he caught a suspect red-handed, and that several neighbours of the store had called the police upon noticing the ruckus.

"Which is super sweet. My neighbourhood is awesome. Everybody gives this neighbourhood such flak, but the people that break into my store repeatedly don't really live in this neighbourhood, they are usually just passing through," said Humphrey.

Humphrey said she was told her glass door was smashed with a rotten piece of 1x1 wood.

Humphrey and her staff do their best to be upbeat about the situation, but it can be a challenge.

"It seems to be every month we're getting targeted with something" she said. 

The store was also broken into in July, and their van was crudely spray painted at the Great Canadian Kayak Challenge. Also, the tires on the company van were slashed earlier this summer.

Humphrey was not thrilled with the level of security at this year's Great Canadian Kayak Challenge. After the van was defaced that Friday night (August 26), she said two hours went by before she or her staff saw any security personnel.

She questions the city's policy of going with the lowest bidder when awarding RFPs. 

"Well the lowest bid were very understaffed. Tourism Timmins didn't see this coming, but all weekend they were short security guards."

But, she says incidents like these could happen anywhere. 

A sign alerted the many patrons of Radical Gardens on Wednesday. Andrew Autio for TimminsToday

"There's a petty crime issue in any city. Any city you will experience vandalism, you will experience break-ins. It's sadly just a part of life. Its something that you are very conscious of when you go into business, its part of business, its the whole reason why you pre-emptively buy a security system."

Radical Gardens has been fortunate that the break-ins haven't caused serious damage.

"The first time we got broken into, they smashed my door, came in and walked past my cash and stole a frozen chicken."

Despite the incidents, Humphrey says there is a big misconception about the Fifth and Balsam area.

"Everybody tells me this is such a bad neighbourhood. Its really not. These guys next door (motioning to a men's rooming house), most of this house walked in this morning to spend the little, minute amount of money that they have to buy cupcakes and support us. My neighbours all support us. They all keep an eye on my building. It's not the neighbourhood, its people. Sometimes people just suck."

After she posted images of a front door littered broken glass and funky disco lights, outrage and outreach quickly began pouring in. Polar Bear Windows and Doors was quick to offer their support by donating a new glass door front with wire mesh. The gesture left Humphrey speechless.

"I don't think anybody's ever done anything so nice for me. I literally couldn't even talk when they called."

Although the store sees many customers on most days, Wednesday was especially busy. Many residents of the city made a special trip to buy lunch after seeing the post on social media. The Radical Gardens farm stand on Dalton Road also saw a spike in action on Wednesday according to Humphrey.

"We always put our heart and soul into our community and we never expect anything back, we don't want anything back, that's not why we do it. But to have the community come and eat us out of food today was amazing."

She also acknowledged an increase in police patrolling the neighbourhood. Details on the charges laid upon the arrested individual are yet to be available.