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I wonder if there is enough non-student traffic to sustain it...
Thoughts?
I do think a food co-op would work in the downtown area and specifically in the Dickinson Avenue Arts & Entertainment District. Somewhere between Dickinson and Tenth Street, preferably. It would have to be done right, though.
I go to the Hillsborough store just about every day and occasionally work with them. Besides the obvious attractions, including organic and local foods, dietary supplements, locally processed foods like salsas, guacamole, chicken salad, pimento cheese, etc., as well as nice salad and hot bars, bakery goods made at Weaver Street's "Food House", and coffee bar, their stores are more than just a place to buy food. Their stores are gathering places. They are places people go to have fun, to meet friends and even a comfortable place to have a meeting. This community aspect has a lot to do with the fact that many of the people who frequent their stores are co-op members and especially the fact that they have inside and outside spaces for dining.
There have been a number of food co-ops that have started in the last 15-20 years in Orange, Chatham, Durham, and Alamance counties. A new Raleigh WSM store will be opening soon in the old Dillon Supply building in Raleigh. I don't know all the details, but new food co-ops start by spending 2-3 years raising part of the capital they need through membership drives. This not only helps with capital needs but also builds a customer base that will support the store when it opens.
I mentioned the Food House earlier. The WSM Food House supplies processed foods, including meats, baked goods, and deli items for, not only all their stores but also the food co-ops in Pittsboro, Durham and the former co-op in Burlington. I've suggested Greenville as a potential store location in the past, but Greenville is too far away or was then. The stores and the Food House have created a lot of good jobs and they have also created more demand for local foods that have helped grow the significant number of new, small farms that are commonplace in Orange County. This co-op has been a great economic engine for the local economy, so it has provided many benefits.
There has been some interest in starting this kind of co-op in Greenville in the past few years, but it hasn't happened yet. There needs to be an entrepreneur (yes, even for a co-op) similar to the entrepreneurial efforts that have started the craft breweries in Greenville in recent years. Whoever takes this on needs to pay attention to detail and build in the kind of spaces that will make people feel comfortable as a gathering place. If done right, I absolutely believe the university community in Greenville will support a food co-op like WSM.
6 eateries, an expanded Student Store, a ballroom that seats 1500, and a huge outdoor TV with grass lawn are some of the highlights of the center. The ECU letters out front really make a statement.
GREENVILLE – The N.C. Department of Transportation will close a Pitt County road to install a sewer line and manhole next week.
Frog Level Road, near the intersection of Dickenson Avenue, will be closed in both directions from Jan. 14 through Jan. 18.
While the sewer line and manhole will be installed outside the traffic lanes, the closure is required to allow the contractor to stage its equipment and keep its workers safe.
A detour will send drivers onto Davenport Farm Road and Dickenson Avenue. Drivers should anticipate needing extra time.
For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.
Sounds like they are close. I read this article as preservation of a 100 plus year old downtown building for an economic catalyst in Greenville's downtown core and they have started hiring...
Looks like money well spent to me. A great Greenville investment.
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