Client Spotlight: River & Rail Food Hub

At Mevo Creative Studios, we love working with organizations that are building something meaningful for their community. River & Rail Food Hub is exactly that.

Located in Jackson, Michigan, River & Rail is designed to be more than a farmers market. It is a neighborhood-scale grocery, farmers market, and gathering space created to expand fresh food access while strengthening South Central Michigan’s local food system.

River & Rail is rooted in the work of Grow Jackson, which began as a community gardening initiative focused on improving access to fresh food in Jackson. Over time, Grow Jackson expanded into youth workforce development, nutrition education, food distribution, and local partnerships. River & Rail now represents the next step in that mission by creating permanent infrastructure for fresh food access, local farmers, and long-term food system growth.

A Website Built Around Mission, Access, and Community

For this project, the goal was clear: create a website that communicates the heart of River & Rail in a way that feels welcoming, organized, and easy to understand.

The site needed to explain several important pieces of the project, including:

• The year-round Farm Stop

• The broader food hub vision

• Fresh food access in Jackson

• Support for local farmers and producers

• Community gathering spaces

• Education around nutrition and local agriculture

• Local market opportunities through Grow Jackson

River & Rail combines a locally sourced grocery space with broader food hub programming designed to connect local farmers, food producers, and the Jackson community. Their Farm Stop is built to make fresh food more accessible and affordable while giving farmers a reliable place to sell what they grow.

Supporting Local Markets

An important part of this project is the continued growth of local market opportunities in Jackson. Through Grow Jackson’s leadership at the Grand River Farmers Market, the community has a vibrant place to shop, connect, and support local farmers, makers, and food producers.

With familiar faces, seasonal produce, and local vendors, the market creates more than a shopping experience. It gives people a meaningful place to gather, discover fresh food, and strengthen the connection between local farms and the families they serve.

As River & Rail and Grow Jackson look ahead, the focus remains on expanding access to local food, creating more year-round opportunities, and making every market visit a fun, welcoming, and meaningful experience for all.

Telling a Bigger Story

One of the most meaningful parts of this project was helping River & Rail tell the story behind the name.

River & Rail reflects both place and purpose. The project is located near historic rail lines in Jackson, in an area shaped by movement, connection, and industry. Today, River & Rail carries that same spirit forward by connecting people to fresh food, local producers, and shared community experiences.

The website also highlights the importance of the location itself. River & Rail is part of the historic Michigan State Prison property, transforming a once-closed space into an open, welcoming destination centered on connection, nourishment, and opportunity.

Designed to Support Growth

The River & Rail website was built to grow with the project. As the food hub continues to develop, the site gives visitors a clear place to learn about the mission, explore the Farm Stop and food hub concept, find contact information, and understand why this work matters for Jackson.

The broader vision includes a community farmers market experience, a mobile market, expanded local food processing and distribution capacity, support for food entrepreneurs and small businesses, and community events around food and agriculture.

Proud to Partner with River & Rail

We are grateful for the opportunity to help River & Rail Food Hub bring their vision online. This project is a beautiful example of how thoughtful design, clear messaging, and a strong mission can work together to support something much bigger than a website.

River & Rail is helping create a stronger, healthier, and more connected local food system in Jackson, and we are proud to play a small part in sharing that story.