Sun Nov 08 2009
By Matt Fredmonsky
Record-Courier staff writer
A food cooperative in downtown Kent could be expanding soon to offer a wider selection to downtown employees and residents.
The Kent Natural Foods cooperative is holding a meeting for employees and members Tuesday night at the store, 151 E. Main St., to discuss the needs of the community and a possible increase in the store's retail space.
Cindy Bissell, the store's co-manager, said the cooperative is working on business proposals so it can apply for grants with the city of Kent and the state to help pay for some of the work.
"One of the things we'd like to have is start with a juice bar and then maybe expand to a deli," Bissell said.
Right now the store is looking to remodel with the possibility of augmenting its existing products. Bissell said their first priority is to complete the grant proposals, re-work the store's downtown facade and then begin remodeling the interior retail space.
At Tuesday's meeting, employees and co-op members will plan a public meeting to talk about opening out the store. The next meeting will likely be a "community dinner" atmosphere held at The Kent Stage, Bissell said.
"We want to inquire of the community what they would like to see in a grocery store and natural food store downtown," she said.
The natural food cooperative is working with local design architect Rick Hawksley on the business proposals and architectural concepts. The eventual expansion could be at the back of the store or into a neighboring store front.
On Friday, the city of Kent lost its last full-service grocery store when the locally-owned Giant Eagle closed its doors.
Kent City Councilman Wayne Wilson, whose ward lost two grocery chains in the last two years, said the possible expansion of Kent Natural Foods is good news.
"It doesn't solve the need for a grocery store down here," he said, referring to the city's South-End neighborhoods. "We have a lot of people here who walk who couldn't get to Kent Natural Foods if they wanted to."
The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority does have a route which stops at Tower 43, along South Water Street in Ward 2, and stops at downtown Kent on its way to East Main Street. The fare is $1 for the general public, according to PARTA's Web site, www.partaonline.org.
Bissell said Kent Natural Foods' future expansion could also create some job opportunities.
"We already do quite a bit of business with downtown employees," she said. "We're pretty much a full-service grocery. And while we do focus on natural foods, we do provide almost everything you can find in a regular grocery store."
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