People’s Food Co-op gets ready for groundbreaking at new site

Plans to relocate the People’s Food Co-op demanded that the organization set some big goals as it tried to meet the financial requirements of the move and getting the building as green as possible. The Kalamazoo co-op is constructing a 6,360-square-foot building at 507 Harrison St.

The goals have been met or exceeded and People’s Food Co-op is getting ready for a ground breaking.

Co-op general manager Chris Dilley says the organization went over its goal of raising $500,000 in loans from owners, up from an original request for $440,000, which became necessary because after a change in the co-op’s financing situation came about when its downtown location was appraised as less than expected. If possible, any funds over the goal will go to add green attributes to the new store.

First National Bank of Michigan, the City of Kalamazoo, Local Initiative Support Corporation, and Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund also are lenders for the project.

In the past month, the Co-op also has signed up 48 new owners join, bringing its total to 981. The goal was to hit 1,000 during October. “We’re really close and more are coming in,” Dilley says.

Construction bids now are under review and Dilley says they came in a little higher than anticipated.

Dilley says plans to generate traffic and encourage neighbors to visit the new store are in the works.

A groundbreaking celebration has been set for 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 29. Construction is expected to get under way in early December.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Chris Dilley, People’s Food Co-op