In 2020 and 2021, we renovated the Co+op and grew with new square footage, new coolers, new aisles, lights, paint, and more. With the physical growth came sales growth and the momentum to keep investing and growing, investing and growing. In 2022, we began the renovation of our warehouse building – the one that sits just behind the store – from top to bottom. In its 116 years of life, it had never been properly heated or cooled, had no insulation, a badly leaking roof, and had only one 3×5 bathroom in its three stories…none of which had stairs or access to each other. The building’s mid-level housed seventeen cars and thousands upon thousands of magazines from the 80s and 90s.
As we hit mid-year in 2023, we are down to the final few months of renovation. There is now a wonderful new break room for staff, complete with a large bathroom and private kitchen, a private outdoor patio with lush plants and fresh air, all where cars once sat. The building was structurally repaired and reinforced, and the brick pointed and redone, ensuring the building will last another 100 years. A staircase, bike storage, reading corners, exercise equipment, and cold air conditioning will be activated soon, and we are excited for Co+op workers to have these amenities after so many decades in inadequate facilities.
You may have noticed we tackled some parking lot issues recently, too. What a relief! In the coming months, we’ll move into our brand new, incredibly larger commercial kitchen, and fill another new cooler with grab and go and hot meal options. Have an old favorite you’d love to see return? Let us know and email deli@frenchbroadfood.coop
Later in the year, we will demolish our old kitchen and back-room coolers to grow our roots…and nuts…and flours. That’s right; we are expanding the bulk room next! Co+ops kicked off bulk foods in the 1970s for accessibility, cost, and excessive packaging reasons. In today’s world, these reasons hold even more true.
Thank you for growing with us, Co+op Family!
