Dear Members and Supporters,
We’re excited to share an update from the Site Selection Team as we continue our journey to bring the Rooted Carrot to life!
Over the past few months, our team has been actively touring potential sites in the downtown district, narrowing our focus to three promising locations. Each space offered unique possibilities—charming storefronts, walkable neighborhoods, and vibrant surrounding businesses that reflect the community spirit we hope to cultivate.
However, despite the initial excitement, we encountered a shared challenge across all three sites: insufficient parking.
As a member-owned grocery cooperative, accessibility for all our members is key. That means making it as easy as possible for families doing their weekly shop, older adults, and folks commuting from nearby neighborhoods to reach. Unfortunately, each downtown site we visited had either no dedicated parking or limited shared lots that wouldn’t reliably accommodate our needs.
Here’s a quick summary of what we found:
- Site #1: A historic building with great street presence, but surrounded by metered, time-limited parking—and no room for deliveries or curbside pickup.
- Site #2: Located in our vibrant downtown area, but the only parking is city owned and only accessible by crossing an alley.
- Site #3: Slightly away from downtown but too large for our purposes and the site has restrictions for use.
We remain committed to making our co-op grocery store welcoming, functional, and sustainable for the long term. That means holding out for a site that meets not just our dreams, but the daily needs of our members.
Next steps? The Site Team is now expanding its search beyond the tight downtown core to nearby districts that still prioritize walkability and provide better options for parking and deliveries.
As always, we’ll keep you in the loop—and if you have suggestions, local knowledge, or a lead on a space that could be the perfect fit, we’d love to hear from you!
With gratitude for your support and shared vision,
The Rooted Carrot Site Team