The Macomb Food Cooperative's new year is going to be enchanting … literally.
The co-op, which has called 211 S. McArthur St. home for since 2016, will begin renting the former Enchanted Florist building, across the street from Chandler Park at 212 N. Lafayette St., beginning in February. According to Board Member and Interim Co-Manager John Lane, the co-op was striving to raise the funds to purchase its South McArthur Street building; however, the $110,000 fundraising goal fell short in the timeframe needed. The building, owned by the McDonough Telephone Cooperative, is now listed through RE/ MAX.
'When the building went up for sale, it prompted us to take a step back and evaluate potential paths forward,' Lane explained. 'While it's possible we may try to purchase this new space in the future, that isn't a focus currently.'
Move
To prepare the space for a planned February opening, the co-op is installing a new floor, and once they're up and running, a certified commercial kitchen is planned that will be available to local food entrepreneurs and educators, he noted. The building also has a walk-in cooler, which will serve the co-op's current needs, and will allow the co-op to add more ready-to-eat food options in the future.
'We plan to move in the latter part of January, hopefully with minimal downtime,' he said.
Once in their new location, the Macomb Food Co-op will keep its current hours, noon-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturdays. When the Macomb Farmers Market gets underway in the spring in Chandler Park, the co-op will include Thursday and Saturday mornings, beginning at 8 a.m.
'While we will continue to have local products like produce, eggs, meat and honey as a central focus (more so than most co-ops and natural food stores), we are also going to significantly expand our packaged grocery selection and have much more affordable prices on staples like organic flour, as part of an effort to make ourselves economically relevant to more area residents,' Lane shared. 'To accomplish this, we are diversifying our sources, pulling from new regional distributors and dealing directly with regional producers. We want to be a corner store and deli for the downtown, as well as a more comprehensive specialty grocer. Eventually, the co-op will also feature a café room, complete with free wi-fi, to allow people to linger at the co-op to work or socialize.'
Current Board members along with Lane include Dave King, Julie-Anne Pickett, Brandon Thompson, Aaron Ferguson and Lisa Ferguson.
For more information, follow the Macomb Food Co-op on Facebook at facebook.com/macombfoodcoop.
To purchase a membership, which is a one-time payment for a lifetime share, contact the co-op at [email protected]. A share is $100 and monthly payments can be arranged; however, even without a membership, individuals are welcome to shop at the co-op.
To donate to the Macomb Food Co-op Foundation, visit prairiehillsrcd.org/macomb-food-co-op-foundation.html
