Category: Business

“Everyone welcome” says a sign on the outside of the new Merc Co-op grocery store on the southwest corner of 5th and Minnesota Avenue in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.

That means that anyone may shop there, not just co-op members, and it also has meanings at different levels, according to store officials.

The store had a “soft” opening in late July, and a small ceremony was held on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to mark its opening.

According to a spokesman, the store wanted to accept EBT and WIC food assistance payments from the first, but because of regulations, it had to wait for a government official to inspect it. That has now taken place, and the store welcomes EBT and WIC clients, according to the spokesman.

Here are some questions and answers about the new grocery store downtown:

Question: What does the store offer that is different from the usual store?

Answer from Rita York Hennecke, general manager of The Merc Co+op:

The Merc Co+op is a grocery store owned by your neighbors (and by you, if you choose). Unlike corporate chains, we’re totally independent and owned by the community members who shop here. Everyone is welcome to shop and anyone can join the co-op by making a one-time investment. In return, you get back financial benefits and a vote to choose the board of directors and impact the direction of the business.

We are committed to local. While approximately 6 percent of sales in conventional stores are local, 29 percent of our co-op’s sales are local – which, in 2019, equated to $3.7 million dollars staying right here in our local economy.

Our co-op is the only retailer in Kansas that pays a livable wage to our over 100 employees, with entry level positions starting at $12.45/hour plus benefits compared to minimum wage at $7.25/hour. The co-op has hired approximately 20 new employees to staff the KCK store. We have made it a priority to hire individuals from the community to reflect the ethnically diverse demographic.

Question: The store has less space than some of the big grocery stores, so how do you work with that to offer a variety of selections to customers?

Answer from Rita York Hennecke, general manager:

Our vision to create a welcoming, multi-cultural urban market that offers a hybrid variety of affordable, conventional, local and organic products is based on the feedback that we have received from the KCK community over the last two years. Though a 14,000-square-foot store is a fraction of the size of our conventional competitors, we are experienced at operating smaller stores and confident that is enough space to provide shoppers with choices and variety. As a local, community-owned business, we appreciate feedback and product suggestions from our shoppers, so that we can continually improve our product mix.

Question: Are you seeing a lot of customers coming in from the Hilton Garden Inn, the KU Strawberry Hill Campus, the Board of Public Utilities office and the federal Courthouse in downtown KCK? Are there lunchtime options for office workers, such as deli sandwiches?

Answer from Jeff Terrell, Merc Co-op store manager:

We are seeing a lot of folks who either work or live in the downtown area, and we’ve already gained some new regulars. Open daily 7 a.m.-8 p.m. the co-op offers affordable conventional, organic and local products as well as made to order coffee, tea and espresso drinks, hot signature sandwiches, packaged salads and deli items, and locally made baked goods – like quiche, pastries and cookies.

Question: “Everyone welcome” is on one of the signs, can you elaborate on that?

Answer from Valerie Taylor, marketing director for The Merc:

“Everyone welcome” has a variety of meanings at our co-op. At its most basic, it means that anyone can shop here – that you don’t have to have a membership. At a time of increasing political division, tribalism and wealth inequality, this statement declares our values of inclusivity, tolerance and the basic right to healthy, delicious food. Our doors are wide open and ready to welcome everyone to the co-op. In addition, we accept both SNAP/EBT and WIC.

Question: Are any KCK or Wyandotte County people supplying produce or other products to the grocery store?

Answer from Valerie Taylor, marketing director for The Merc:

Products labeled “local” at the co-op have been made, grown or raised within 200 miles of our stores. We currently partner with a number of KCK producers including: Kansas City Cupcake Co., Jones Bar-B-Q, Farm to Market Bread Co., New Roots for Refugees, Silva’s and KC Food Hub as well as many local producers who operate in a 30-mile radius of the store at 501 Minnesota. We are always looking to build new relationships with more local farmers, ranchers and producers.

Question: How does the Merc fit into the overall plan for downtown?

Answer from Greg Kindle, Wyandotte Economic Development Council president:

The Merc is a part of a broader overall plan to redevelop downtown. The UG is to be commended for having a vision and for meeting a need and investing in this store. We’re very fortunate to have a partner like the Merc, who are not only in the grocery business but are into community development and programming around how healthy food choices make for a better community in general. They are meeting a need in the community and I am super optimistic about the role they play. Redevelopment that is taking place downtown includes the Reardon Center across the street from the grocery store (there are apartments in the new development), the downtown KCKCC campus, continued redevelopment in the Reardon parking lot, and Catholic Charities’ new downtown headquarters. All of these things contribute to a sort of reimagined downtown. There is more to come.