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What you need to know about Seed to Table, a MAGA Trump-supporting gourmet food store in Florida

    “Welcome to the happiest place in the universe.” That's the can't-miss message for Seed to Table, a grocery store-restaurant-bar-entertainment venue in Naples, Florida.

    When shoppers visit, it's hard not to miss the beautifully arranged fresh produce or the multitude of plates of tacos, sushi or “from scratch” specials available at the gourmet store.

    But beyond the upscale grocery store and sense of community — the owner recently hosted a Hurricane Milton pre-landfall party with food and drinks — Seed to Table has a reputation as a pro-Trump, Make America Great Again hub. There are large American flags everywhere in the market.

    Seed to Table has hosted protests over COVID-19 masks, George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. The store gained national attention during the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

    And the force behind Seed to Table and Oakes Farms, owner Alfie Oakes of Naples, is as much a polarizing figure in Southwest Florida as his namesake company.

    Here's what we know about Seed to Table, Oakes Farms and Alfie Oakes.

    What is Seed to Table? Where is Seed to Table in Florida?

    Shoppers browse the produce section at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market in Naples on Thursday, March 19, 2020.Shoppers browse the produce section at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market in Naples on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

    Shoppers browse the produce section at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market in Naples on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

    According to the site, “Seed to Table is a grocery store like you've never seen before, with several restaurants, bars, live entertainment seven nights a week and more. Located in Naples, Florida.” The message online? “Welcome to the happiest place in the universe.”

    The 75,000-square-foot farmer's market-inspired store in North Naples offers fresh produce from Oakes Farms.

    When is Seed to Table open? What are the hours of operation for Seed to Table in Naples, Florida?

    Seed to Table, 4835 Immokalee Road, Naples, is also home to Hops and Vines, the wine bar and beer bar open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dinner specials from the kitchen range, with recent offerings such as Braveheart filet mignon, grilled veal rack of lamb or Lumina rack of lamb, served with house-made mac and cheese and roasted seasonal vegetables.

    Seed to Table is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight.

    Hops and Vines, the upstairs bar, is open until 1am from Sunday to Thursday and until 2am on Friday and Saturday.

    Mike Ellis, executive chef of Seed to Table and consultant at The 239 at Mercato, previously worked at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, DC, as sous chef to celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio in 2004. A year later, Ellis moved to Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen. as executive sous chef to celebrity chef Michael Voltaggio before taking over the reins of the kitchen when it earned a Michelin star. Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio have a long history with “Top Chef” – the brothers competed on their season, with Michael Voltaggio winning the season finale. Bryan Voltaggio competed in the “Top Chef” universe two more times, becoming a finalist both times. The Voltaggio brothers have also appeared on several Food Network cooking competitions or played themselves on shows like “Young and Hungry” on Freeform.

    Oakes opened Seed to Table in 2019. Call 239-310-7333 or visit Seedtotablemarket.com.

    Who is Alfie Oakes? Naples, Florida, farmer and owner of Seed to Table store is named 'MAGA Grocery King of Southwest Florida'

    Women on either side of a protest argue outside the Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement from Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.Women on either side of a protest argue outside the Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement from Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.

    Women on either side of a protest argue outside the Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement from Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.

    Alfie Oakes is a Florida farmer and owner of the luxury supermarket/entertainment venue Seed to Table. Oakes Farms, one of the largest agricultural companies in South Florida, employs approximately 3,500 people. His empire includes fields, shops, warehouses and even a boutique. The flagship is Seed to Table, a $30 million grocery experience that goes far beyond produce and includes a bakery, butcher shop and gaming area.

    Oakes is also known as a MAGA Trump supporter whose venue has been used for Trump events.

    Before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, residents of Lee County and Collier County, Florida, were familiar with Oakes. At the time, he made headlines as an anti-vaxxer for comments he made about George Floyd and Black Lives Matter and for filing an anti-mask lawsuit in his hometown. Oakes also arranged bus trips to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, for the insurrection — or what he called “the most peaceful and beautiful demonstration of well over a million people I have ever seen,” according to the Naples Daily News. , a USA TODAY Network newspaper.

    David Silverberg, a political pundit in Naples, Florida, and former editor-in-chief of The Hill, described Alfie Oakes as “our mini-Trump” and called him “the MAGA Grocery King of Southwest Florida” in a 2022 Mother Jones story.

    Although Alfie Oakes has not run for government office, he holds elected office as a Republican state commissioner of Collier County.

    Protests, MAGA Trump events at Seed to Table in Florida: George Floyd, Black Lives Matter hoax comments, COVID-19 masks

    A sign with Seed to Table's mask exception guidelines hangs outside the store entrance during a rally in opposition to the mask mandate passed by the Collier County Commissioners on Tuesday, at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Collier County Commissioners who voted against the mandate are depicted wearing Uncle Sam hats, while those who voted for the mandate are depicted above the word Socialist.A sign with Seed to Table's mask exception guidelines hangs outside the store entrance during a rally in opposition to the mask mandate passed by the Collier County Commissioners on Tuesday, at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Collier County Commissioners who voted against the mandate are depicted wearing Uncle Sam hats, while those who voted for the mandate are depicted above the word Socialist.

    Since the opening of Seed to Table in 2019, the luxury supermarket and entertainment venue has been in the spotlight. Just as COVID-19 took hold, owner Alfie Oakes became a lightning rod for headlines after telling Naples Daily News columnist Phil Fernandez that the coronavirus disease was fake, prompting Collier County, Florida, to be sued over its mask mandate.

    During the pandemic, Oakes rejected COVID-era mask mandates, disparaged the Black Lives Matter movement and helped local pro-Trump candidates in posts ranging from school board to fire commissioner. Oakes also financed two buses of Trump supporters headed to Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021, the day of the insurrection at the US Capitol.

    Pro-Black Lives Matter demonstrators chant during a protest at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement by Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.Pro-Black Lives Matter demonstrators chant during a protest at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement by Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.

    Pro-Black Lives Matter demonstrators chant during a protest at Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market on Saturday, June 13, 2020. The protest was sparked by an inflammatory Facebook post about COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement by Oakes Farms Seed to Table Market owner Alfie Oakes, and was met by a counter-protest organized by Oakes.

    Here is a list of notable events or protests at or near Seed to Table in Naples, Florida:

    • Picketers showed up to protest Alfie Oakes' 2020 Facebook credo against the Black Lives Matter movement, which he called a hoax, and against George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, which he called a “shameful career criminal'.

    • In Lee County, Florida, the schools cut ties with Oakes, and he sued them, saying the termination of his three-year, $6 million deal was a breach of contract, plus an infringement on his right to freedom of speech in the First Amendment.

    • Alfie Oakes has spoken out against 5G cell towers and municipal fluoridation, which he views as a globalist strategy to subjugate the population, according to a report from Naples Daily News. “If you don't think this is the intention to numb us, to control the people of this country, then I don't think you're paying attention… We don't trust the white coats anymore,” he said. .

    • In 2021, he footed the bill for two busloads of Trump supporters who went to Washington DC on January 6 to participate in what Oakes later called “the most peaceful, beautiful demonstration of over a million people I have ever witnessed.” attended.

    • In 2021, part-time resident, rocker, gun enthusiast and COVID skeptic Ted Nugent appeared at Seed to Table before testing positive for COVID a week later. Congressman Byron Donalds of Naples is a frequent Seed to Table guest.

    • The following year, in 2022, all seven “Alfie's Freedom Picks” handily won their seats in the elections in Collier County, Florida.

    • In 2024, entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy showed up for lunch at Seed to Table.

    In North Naples, two protests will take place at Seed to Table on Saturday, June 13, 2020, following a Facebook post from the owner of Seed to Table.In North Naples, two protests will take place at Seed to Table on Saturday, June 13, 2020, following a Facebook post from the owner of Seed to Table.

    In North Naples, two protests will take place at Seed to Table on Saturday, June 13, 2020, following a Facebook post from the owner of Seed to Table.

    Contributing: Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News

    This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Alfie Oakes, Seed to Table ties to January 6, Black Lives Matter, MAGA