Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover the inspiring journey of Judy Wicks, founder of Philadelphia's iconic White Dog Cafe and a pioneering leader in the local living economies movement.
In this eye-opening interview with Brook LeVan of Sustainable Solutions, Judy shares how she transformed a humble coffee and muffin takeout spot (started in 1983 on the first floor of her home) into a renowned 200-seat restaurant and hub for progressive thought—while rejecting traditional franchising and endless growth in favor of deeper relationships, community impact, and sustainability.
Key highlights include:
Pioneering farm-to-table practices: Sourcing humane, pastured meats, grass-fed beef, and local produce decades ahead of the trend—and sharing those practices with competitors to build a stronger local food system.
Founding innovative initiatives like Fair Food, the Sustainable Business Network, and BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, now Common Future)—a network empowering independent, triple-bottom-line businesses focused on people, planet, and profit.
Her unique "social contract" exit strategy when selling the White Dog Cafe: Licensing the name while mandating ongoing ethical practices like local sourcing, fair trade, renewable energy, and composting.
Why cooperation over competition, local self-reliance, slow money investing, and rebuilding community joy are essential for resilience amid climate change and globalization.
If you're passionate about sustainable business, local economies, ethical entrepreneurship, farm-to-table, slow food, or creating a more just and regenerative world, this conversation offers timeless wisdom and actionable inspiration.
Sponsored by Sustainable Settings – learn more at sustainablesettings.org.
Change Your Mind. Watch GrassRoots.
GrassRoots programming is made possible by the producers' creativity itself, direct contributions from viewers, members of the Roaring Fork Valley community, and through grants from the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund, The Town of Snowmass Village, the City of Aspen Community Non-Profit Grant Program, and The Aspen Thrift Shop.
Founded by citizens of Aspen, Colorado in 1972, GrassRoots TV is the first and oldest community operated and programmed open-source media center and television station in the United States. Virtually all of the programming is created by local residents, occasionally with world renown guests.
In partnership with the American Archive of Public Media and the Library of Congress, GrassRoots is currently cataloguing, restoring and digitally archiving 700 of the most at-risk original video programs out of its 45,000 title Community Video Archive.
Help sustain this community treasure by donating now! Go to:
bit.ly/GRTVContribute
Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, HIT LIKE and leave a COMMENT to let us know if you enjoyed this video, it is important to us and the community for you to become part of the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!
Download the GrassRoots Community Network iOS and Android apps
Subscribe for more videos: bit.ly/2Ycpi4P
Facebook: facebook.com/GrassRootsCommunityNetwork
Twitter: twitter.com/grassrootstv
Web: grassrootstv.org
Discover the inspiring journey of Judy Wicks, founder of Philadelphia's iconic White Dog Cafe and a pioneering leader in the local living economies movement.
In this eye-opening interview with Brook LeVan of Sustainable Solutions, Judy shares how she transformed a humble coffee and muffin takeout spot (started in 1983 on the first floor of her home) into a renowned 200-seat restaurant and hub for progressive thought—while rejecting traditional franchising and endless growth in favor of deeper relationships, community impact, and sustainability.
Key highlights include:
Pioneering farm-to-table practices: Sourcing humane, pastured meats, grass-fed beef, and local produce decades ahead of the trend—and sharing those practices with competitors to build a stronger local food system.
Founding innovative initiatives like Fair Food, the Sustainable Business Network, and BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, now Common Future)—a network empowering independent, triple-bottom-line businesses focused on people, planet, and profit.
Her unique "social contract" exit strategy when selling the White Dog Cafe: Licensing the name while mandating ongoing ethical practices like local sourcing, fair trade, renewable energy, and composting.
Why cooperation over competition, local self-reliance, slow money investing, and rebuilding community joy are essential for resilience amid climate change and globalization.
If you're passionate about sustainable business, local economies, ethical entrepreneurship, farm-to-table, slow food, or creating a more just and regenerative world, this conversation offers timeless wisdom and actionable inspiration.
Sponsored by Sustainable Settings – learn more at sustainablesettings.org.
Change Your Mind. Watch GrassRoots.
GrassRoots programming is made possible by the producers' creativity itself, direct contributions from viewers, members of the Roaring Fork Valley community, and through grants from the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund, The Town of Snowmass Village, the City of Aspen Community Non-Profit Grant Program, and The Aspen Thrift Shop.
Founded by citizens of Aspen, Colorado in 1972, GrassRoots TV is the first and oldest community operated and programmed open-source media center and television station in the United States. Virtually all of the programming is created by local residents, occasionally with world renown guests.
In partnership with the American Archive of Public Media and the Library of Congress, GrassRoots is currently cataloguing, restoring and digitally archiving 700 of the most at-risk original video programs out of its 45,000 title Community Video Archive.
Help sustain this community treasure by donating now! Go to:
bit.ly/GRTVContribute
Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, HIT LIKE and leave a COMMENT to let us know if you enjoyed this video, it is important to us and the community for you to become part of the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!
Download the GrassRoots Community Network iOS and Android apps
Subscribe for more videos: bit.ly/2Ycpi4P
Facebook: facebook.com/GrassRootsCommunityNetwork
Twitter: twitter.com/grassrootstv
Web: grassrootstv.org
