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Hampden Park Co-op Expansion

As most HPC members and shoppers are now aware, the coop has recently signed a lease with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (the building owners, and incidentally, a great group of guys) to expand into the space formerly occupied by the Parkview Cafe. The store managers and Board of Directors have been interested in this space for years, and see this move as a great opportunity to begin to think strategically about our next 5–10 years as an organization.

The world around us is changing: LRT on University Avenue is still in the works, with a stop near Raymond Avenue planned. Hundreds of new housing units have recently been built in our area of the Central Corridor, and many more will come when the housing market eventually perks back up. Books such as The Omnivore's Dilemma are creating more awareness of food issues. Even Wal-Mart now has organics (or at least "organics"). Our sales are growing, shoppers are asking for more products than we have room for. Some long-term coops (like Seward) are expanding, some (Like North Country) are, regrettably, closing.

By securing the former Parkview space, we can expand our retail floor by 50%, double the size of our cramped kitchen space, and add considerably more storage in our basement. Because this opportunity arose suddenly, planning is still underway, but our intention is to expand our very popular deli (with some in- store seating along the front windows), add more cheeses, move the coffees and teas, and in the process, open up some space within the existing portion of the store for more produce and frozen foods.

Our vision is not just more of the same— by starting with an empty space, we can create an esthetically pleasing space with new walls, floor, and lighting (and hopefully, some artwork). And if, like me, you feel your spirits droop when you see long lines at both cash registers and hear the desperate little bell ringing, you'll be glad to hear that we're planning a third register in the expanded area.

All of this excitement will, of course, require considerable time, talent, and money. We hope to have plenty of volunteer opportunities for work in the new space. We want to hear from our members— what creative ideas do you have for our store? Finally, we’re looking for money— plenty of it. Hampden Park Coop has operated in a fiscally prudent and conservative fashion for many years. We have strong cash reserves and no current debt. But successfully working through this transition will require a considerable investment. We intend to launch a capital campaign very soon. Be watching for details.

The Board of Directors thanks our dedicated and talented managers, staff, volunteers, members and shoppers for your interest and support; and we intend to do our best to make this co-op a vital and successful business for years to come.