David Edwards knows a thing or two about community and growth. As founder and owner of Smooth & Social 
Roots, a cutting-edge healthy food business born on the south side, he sees first-hand how urban agriculture helps both individuals and neighborhoods grow.
On May 15th, David will be bringing that passion and knowledge to the near-west side with his newest café at Heartland Housing’s Harvest Commons apartments (1519 W Warren Blvd).
“I’m here to make valuable products for good people, and I don’t just mean smoothies. I’m here to introduce people to new ideas and to community.”
David’s passion for healthy foods and agriculture sparked while he was incarcerated, as he was given a chance to build skills and reduce his sentence in an urban farming program. Quickly thereafter, he enrolled in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Windy City Harvest program and connected with friends who and experts that knew the ins and outs of successful farming.
In just a few years, David and his close-knit group of friends harnessed that passion and developed an urban farm on Chicago’s south side. Chicago’s largest food deserts are found on its south and west sides, primarily impacting the health and wealth of Black communities. David sought an alternative solution for the barriers faced in his communities, and developed Smooth and Social Roots into a community-sponsored agriculture program – delivering healthy, local, organic produce to vulnerable communities.
“Food is more than just something you put into your body. It’s a symbol for love. You want to help people live and enjoy their lives? You feed them. We’re bringing that love to entire communities.”
The newest Smooth and Social Roots Café, nestled into the first floor of our Harvest Commons supportive housing development, is the perfect place to share that love. David is working with Heartland Alliance’s Jo Mathias-Porter to utilize the building’s 25 cubic yards of community garden space and develop a hyper-local source of fresh produce for the café’s menu. This year, customers will be able to sit right next to the garden that produced their green juices and salads.
“This is what I’m most excited about. Working with Heartland and being strategic about what we’re feeding people. Now, we have a chance to give the community what they really want, and connecting people to their neighborhood in ways they never were before.”
David believes this next chapter of Smooth and Social Roots is about supporting a space for life, liveliness, and community.
Inside the cafe, a blackboard has been constructed – with a bountiful selection of colored chalk, begging to be used as an outlet of expression. There are a handful of affirmations and quotes already plastered above, but David is ready for the next great artist to share their own wisdom with his new community. He’s already preparing another room for after-school programs for local students, where they will learn about gardening, nutrition, and even entrepreneurship.
A record player is always running, playing a selection of R&B, rock, and jazz from the 70s. Next to it is an open box of albums ready for anyone to peruse. For David, and for Smooth and Social Roots, music is at the heart of all good work.
“When I started growing a garden, I learned how music can help your plants grow. Help them thrive. We’re doing that for the food we grow, and we’re doing it for our customers too.”
Stop by and say hello to David and the Smooth and Social Roots team at 1519 W Warren Blvd, and pick up a coffee or salad. They’re open from Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m to 9 p.m.
