Meet Halie and Theresa of LocaLI Bred! a new collection of curated boxes of Locally sourced Long Island products. From chocolate to candles and everything in between; and with catchy names, such as “The Fancy Friend,” and “The Hostess with the Mostest”, LocaLI Bred is sure to be an instant hit with Long Island natives and visitors who want to get a real sense of what Long Island has to offer.
Get to know the ladies behind LocaLI Bred below.
Theresa (left) and Halie (right), creators of LocaLI Bred
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
We both grew up outside Long Island. Theresa grew up in Tucson, Arizona and Halie was raised in upstate New York, just outside of Albany. Both of us (by sheer coincidence) moved to Long Island around 5 years ago after living throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn for almost a decade.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Halie has a 3 ½ year old daughter, Annabelle, and a 19 month old son, Dino. Theresa has a 3 ½ year old daughter, Mia, and a 2 year old son, Joseph.
What is your favorite thing about living here?
That this whole town seems to understand that the kids are THE priority. Because in Brooklyn it sometimes felt like there was this tension between the stroller pushing moms and the “hipsters” In Huntington it feels like everyone is in it together. Many of us moved here for the great schools, the walkable and safe neighborhoods. Our priorities all seem to line up and it’s actually really heart warming as moms to see our kids raised in this environment.
What do you love to do with your family around town?
We love that Huntington is like this mini-city. It’s got a great park in Heckscher, and a great grid layout that is really conducive to walking and exploring (especially with kids!). But it’s also small enough where it still feels very local and digestible and not overwhelming. So on a schedule-free Saturday we can just pack the kids up and hit up the park, and then Herrell’s or Rust & Gold or Bee Organic or Toast or one of the many new restaurants that seem to sprout up daily. It still feels like we can give our kids a city experience but in a much more controlled (and less stressful!) environment than Manhattan. Plus the amazing beaches, of course!
Tell us about your business and how it came to be, what you love about it, what makes it unique, what your goal is, etc..
We both lived in Brooklyn when we saw firsthand the city undergo this tremendous transformation. Everything local was good, everything national was bad. There was this emphasis on patronizing everything artisanal and locally grown and the city just grew into this mecca of hip and cool and new. When we both moved out here we saw the same potential but not the same emphasis – or at least not the vehicles to drive that growth. With our locaLI bred boxes, we want to highlight what is and what can be great on this Island. Because what we’ve seen in scouring the Island is that there is a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit brewing here and we want to do everything to help foster that.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
When we first started, we weren’t sure what the response would be. People seem to think of Long Island as these isolated towns and communities. For example, the thought is Great Neck might not really identify with West Islip and vice versa. Although what we’ve found has been almost the polar opposite. There’s a tremendous amount of Long Island pride bubbling here. Long Islanders from all over want to be a part of this, they want to uplift the entire Long Island local community and they want to patronize talented local makers and not just the stereotypical strip malls. This business is almost entirely community driven and the early success we’ve had is reflective of just how strong this community is. People are thrilled that locaLI bred is giving makers across the Island a platform to share their products with the community and beyond.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I (Theresa) don’t like talking about this, but I was on “Cupcake Wars.” I had a flourishing baking business in Washington D.C. when I got the call and let’s just say…the sugar hit the fan. Even worse it was a couples challenge so I competed with my husband and it’s… kind of the Scarlet Letter on our marriage (haha).
When I (Halie) was in kindergarten, I wanted to be a grocery store bagger when I grew up. With locaLI bred, a lot of my days are spent packing things into boxes….so really, starting this business is a childhood dream come true for me!
One thing people would be surprised to know about your business..
We support at least ten local businesses within each box.
Make sure you’re following Huntington Moms on Instagram for an awesome GIVEAWAY, featuring LocaLI Bred.