College Hill exploring grocery co-op

College Hill advocates have sought to attract a grocery store to the area for years with no luck. Now they’re exploring the possibility of a co-operative grocery owned by its customers.

The College Hill Alliance, Centenary United Methodist Church and S.O.L.E. Food Co-op are partnering to hold an informational meeting for the public about co-ops at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church, located at 1185 Ash St.

“We’d look at a full grocery with healthy food options and a reasonable price,” said Nadia Osman, program coordinator for the alliance.

Co-ops can take many forms. Patrons may pay a membership fee to receive access to buying locally grown produce plus grocery items, which can be purchased at a store or delivered to a drop-off point.

S.O.L.E. Food Co-op (which stands for Sustainable, Organic, Local or Ethnic) functions as a buying club that operates independently out of Centenary, said Stacey Harwell, the church’s minister of community building.

The co-op will offer samples of the items at Thursday’s meeting, such as dairy products, bulk items and produce, according to a news release.

But the goal is to greatly expand the current co-op into a larger operation with a retail store that would serve downtown residents, Osman said. She said the College Hill Alliance envisions a grocery store that would not require membership but would provide members with discounts and access to free health-related classes.

“We’d love to see a hot lunch option, fresh local vegetables, frozen foods, whole grains, herbs and an apothecary section,” she said.

But the direction the effort takes will be based on the guidance of interested residents, starting with those who attend Thursday’s meeting, she said. The alliance plans to help create a task force or steering committee of locals to explore these options.

Centenary is interested in helping create a larger co-op for the neighborhood as a means of revitalizing the area and promoting sustainable, locally grown food for residents of all incomes, said the Rev. Tim Bagwell.

Centenary first focused on an abandoned store at the corner of Hazel and Calhoun streets, with the goal of making it a positive community gathering place.

Further study showed the location, owned by the Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority, may not be a good fit for a full co-op grocery, although it could serve as a satellite location, Bagwell said.

Osman said a good primary location might be in the annex behind the downtown post office, in a space that once housed a grocery store.

“The demographics for the area indicate there’s a strong need for a grocery store,” Osman said. But Kroger has stopped adding urban locations and Publix has not shown any interest. Some members of the College Hill Corridor Commission are still trying to attract a smaller grocery store, she said.

Meanwhile, the alliance visited Sevananda Natural Foods Market, a co-op located in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood, which is about the same size as the space in the post office annex, Osman said.

“We’re interested in the social responsibility of a co-op,” she said. Sevananda donates some of its proceeds to charity on certain days and offers health classes to members.

Osman said it could take four to 10 years to establish a co-op, partly because they are governed by members and must be built with community support and funding. The alliance could help by applying for grants for the project and seeking local investors.

“If people are invested with their wallets and their hearts, that’s what will make it work long term,” Osman said.

To contact writer S. Heather Duncan, call 744-4225.