“Eating one plant-based meal a day can help change the world,” said Tara Johnson, primary owner of V Go's vegan eatery and grocery store.
V Go’s is a new fully plant-based grocery store and eatery located on 1213 Cornwall Ave in Bellingham.
“We decided that opening a fully vegan store would open the door for more people to have better access to clean and healthier foods that are not only good for their bodies, but for the environment as well,” Johnson said.
Johnson is also the owner of the Sage Against the Machine food truck that has been a hit in Bellingham since it opened in 2018.
The restaurant and eatery will be full of vegan options for groceries as well as feature items from their vegan food truck menu that can be ordered and eaten there.
Nate Johnson, Tara’s husband and co-owner of V Go’s, said they want to send a message beyond just serving vegan food.
“Eating healthy and helping the environment is what our main focus on opening V Go’s is,” Johnson said. "Just changing one meal a day to being plant-based can do wonders for the environment and your body. Be a part of making the planet a better place for you and others.”
Taryn Mindt, a Bellingham resident and an advocate for implementing a plant-based diet said she is thrilled to hear of the shop's opening.
“I always hear people saying how hard it is to be vegan because there aren't a ton of options on recipes to make or vegan options are not as accessible,” Mindt said. “The opening of a full vegan grocery store is amazing because now if people want to eat a vegan meal they can come here and know they are doing something to better themselves and the world.”
Taryn Mindt poses with a smile on her face after visiting V Go’s for the first time on April 5 in Bellingham, Wash. V Go’s is a new vegan grocery store run by the owners of the vegan food truck Sage Against the Machine. // Photo courtesy of Michaela Camlin
Johnathan Riopelle, the communications manager at Western Washington University's Sustainability Engagement Institute, has been eating a plant-based diet for the last 12 years. He said having a plant-based diet has a significant impact on our bodies, plants, animals, and climate.
“A huge component of my vegan diet is mentally and emotionally one should feel relief that they are minimizing pain on the ecosystem,” he said. “There is a huge mental relief to being vegan and you will start to feel active and lighter.”
It is an important part of Riopelle's daily routine to maintain this diet and encourages others to look into plant based eating habits for a more full and enriching lifestyle.
“I am a runner and cyclist and I experience an ease and a lightness because of being vegan." Riopelle said. "Statistically, the farming of animals is one of the most significant impacts of climate change. We are hurting the planet by engaging in livestock farming. We have to change our habits. Once we do, we realize the amount of relief we can take off of our planet.”
Tara Johnson hopes that the opening of their vegan eatery will bring more awareness to the community of how eating plant-based can do wonders for the world.
“I plan to live until I am 103 years old and being plant-based puts me on the right path,”Tara Johnson said.
Check out their Facebook page to stay updated on their message and events that are happening at V Go’s.
Michaela Camlin(she/her) is a third-year at Western Washington University studying journalism focused on public relations, and reporting on city news.
You can reach her at michaelacamlin.thefront@gmail.com.
