Hunger Mountain Coop considering Waterbury for second store

Hunger Mountain Coop in Montpelier is exploring the feasibility of adding a store in downtown Waterbury by the end of 2010. The Coop Council agreed to explore this opportunity over the summer to see if it is in The Coop’s best interest to pursue. If The Coop’s research indicates that moving forward on this location makes sense, The Coop’s Member-Owners would need to vote on a proposal before it could be approved.
The Coop was approached by Pomerleau Realty to see if it is interested in leasing the 20,000 square foot space now filled by RJ’s Friendly Market in downtown Waterbury. Ernie Pomerleau, President and CEO, recently negotiated a similar arrangement with the Hanover Co-op for a storefront in White River Junction and is excited about the prospect of Hunger Mountain taking over the Waterbury space. RJ’s owner Robert George is considering retirement and will help The Coop as it explores this option.
State Representative Sue Minter noted, “I am so pleased to hear that The Coop is considering coming to Waterbury. Losing RJ and our downtown supermarket would be a huge loss, especially to many people who live, work and shop in Waterbury village. I know that Revitalizing Waterbury hopes to sustain a downtown supermarket as an anchor to our local economy. Moreover, the Waterbury-Duxbury Food Council is working to bring more local food to our area. This could be a wonderful opportunity to support the mission of both organizations and to sustain and grow our vibrant downtown.”
RJ’s underwent extensive renovations about five years ago, including new shelving and major equipment. That means The Coop could be up and running quickly, without taking on the cost of building and equipping a brand new facility.
“The prospect of a low-risk expansion in a thriving nearby community is very appealing” explains Coop General Manager Kari Bradley. “A new store and new market share would help us advance our mission: to sell more healthy and local food, serve more Members, increase sales for local vendors, create more jobs and cooperative commerce and deliver greater economic, social and environmental returns.”
“But,” he is quick to add, “we have to look at a lot of factors to see if this is right for us.”
The Coop completed a significant expansion of its Montpelier store in 2008, and sales have been ahead of projections despite the slow economy. It now has over 6,000 members—700 from the Stowe, Waterbury, and Mad River Valley area.
“In addition to analyzing financial and marketing data, we plan to hold discussions with Member-Owners, vendors, staff and community members to get their comments and questions on the table,” said Council President Lydia Busler-Blais. “I want to emphasize that nothing has been decided, and the Council will not recommend anything that might jeopardize the success of our current operations.”
Two community forums are scheduled. One is at Waterbury’s American Legion Hall on July 15 from 5-7pm and the other at the Montpelier Unitarian Church on July 20 from 5:30-7:30pm.
For more information about The Coop, or how to participate in the discussions, please visit www.hungermountain.com, contact Krystal or Robyn at 223-8000 ext. 202, or sign up to be on The Coop’s e-news list by sending an email to [email protected].
Source: 6.24.2010. Hunger Mountain Coop, located in Montpelier, Vermont is a community-owned natural market & café committed to building a dynamic community of healthy individuals, sustainable local food systems and thriving cooperative commerce. The Coop celebrated its 38th anniversary in 2010.