The small town of Florence, Alabama, is home to a yearly event called 1Table. In a cobblestone street in the heart of downtown, a long table is set up, and anyone and everyone is invited to eat a meal together. No charge. No catch. No agenda. This was my fourth year attending, and it is truly a beautiful thing.
Last year, Dogwood had the honor of designing artwork for the event, and I had the opportunity to serve pumpkin pie and banana pudding. This year, they had an abundance of volunteers, so I didn’t push to take a spot. I wanted to allow new volunteers to have the blessing of serving, and believe me, people want to volunteer and be a part of this.
As I walked up to Mobile Street, the gingko trees were a brilliant yellow, and the guitarist was playing “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Just like me, I saw many quietly mouthing the words. “Tune my heart to sing thy praise…” The song stayed in my head the rest of the day.
I arrived at 11:12, and the line was already long. I wasn’t worried because it always moves fast. I was excited to see someone I knew as soon as I stepped in line. It was another mom, LeeAnn, from school. She always hugs me and makes me feel like she is truly happy to see and talk to me. She does the same today. After chatting in line for a while, LeeAnn held her phone up and took a selfie with me. I felt extremely loved in that moment.
As we waited, I met Larry. He moved back here after 40 years and now owns a local shop called “Hikey Mikey” whose website boasts “A local hiking trail information shoppe with a southern accent.” He was fun to chat with. I haven’t visited his shop yet, but I plan to, and I imagine it is one of those shops where you instantly feel at ease, just as I did when talking to Larry.
When I sat down with my plate, I had Anne on my right, who reminded me of my grandmother, who has been gone for 9 years now. We both agreed the cranberry chutney was really good.
To my left was Scarlett, a UNA student wearing headphones. I could not tell if she wanted to talk or not, so I didn’t speak right away. She finished eating before me. I watched as she drew a self-portrait on the paper tablecloth with a crayon. I took a chance that her headphones were just noise-cancelling and said, “That’s great! Can you draw me?” She lit up and said, “Sure!!” As she sketched me, she told me she was a fashion design major and then showed me a picture of a mural she did for their classroom window down the street. She was proud of her work and should be. I bragged on her. She finished my portrait. “You look a little wonky,” she told me, smiling. “It’s ok.” I told her…”I am a little wonky in real life. I love it. Thank you.”
On my way out, I met Jill, whom I had known in passing because of her local catering business but had never met. She told me that the delicious pumpkin pie I ate was not made from a big orange pumpkin or canned pumpkin, but instead from a Cushaw Long-necked squash that she cuts in half, fills with sugar, spices, and butter, then bakes in the oven to make the pies. I feel like I know a secret no one else does.
1Table is really an amazing event. Totally free, no agenda, no catch. Just show up and eat. Strangers meet and leave as friends.
I kept a mental note of how many people I saw that I knew outside of 1Table. This year, I counted 22 people that I could call by name. That’s a stark contrast to the zero when I went the first year, and that makes me really happy.
The Marketing Take-Away
The food is delicious, the decor is simple and cozy, and all is donated or sponsored by local businesses. You won’t see much about who paid for this, though. Just a simple banner hung on a brick wall filled with logos. It is not about marketing in the traditional sense. It is just a group of businesses that want to show their community they care. You leave with a full belly and a sense of belonging.
As a professional marketer, I see missed opportunities to promote your business; however, as a person, I see businesses and organizations that genuinely want to care for and love their community. That generosity speaks louder than any sign, banner, or mention ever will.
Don’t get me wrong, traditional marketing matters. People need to know who you are and what you offer, but if all we’re doing is trying to be seen without truly seeing others, we’re missing the heart of it. What I witnessed at 1Table wasn’t “brand activation” or a clever campaign; it was neighbors showing up with food, time, and warmth because they care. No spotlight needed. That kind of quiet, genuine presence travels farther than any ad ever could.
People don’t leave 1Table talking about the banner of logos on the wall. They leave talking about the hug in the food line, the student sketching portraits at the table, or the woman who makes pumpkin pie from an heirloom squash recipe that tastes like it came from someone’s grandmother’s kitchen. That’s what sticks. That’s what spreads.
When businesses care first and promote second, people don’t just notice, they feel it. People remember how you made them feel long after the meal is over. Ultimately, caring isn’t the opposite of marketing… It’s the part that makes marketing worth doing.
