EL Food Co-op to Open Storefront “Farm Market” Near 127

The East Lansing Food Co-op, frequently referred to by the acronym ELFCO, is moving forward with plans to open a new retail location, a year-round “farm market” that would specialize in locally produced products. The new location, just east of the US-127 overpass at 3026 Michigan Ave., could be open as early as July.

Previous members of the co-op will be grandfathered-in as members of the new location, which will still be run as a co-op with owner-members and an elected board of directors.

A new name is also being considered, because 3026 Michigan Ave. is not in East Lansing, but rather in the Charter Township of Lansing.

Project manager Marshall Clabeaux said the new location will include a large loading area in addition to the retail storefront. Located in the same building as the Sideline Cuts barber shop and Lansing Scooters 2 Go, the space needs some additional work before ELFCO can move in.

Specifically, the ceiling needs to be refinished with a washable surface in order to meet health codes. Volunteers have been helping to clean and get things ready for construction to begin.

According to Clabeaux there is enough space on the site that several food trucks could be operating there as well.

The ELFCO Board is interviewing candidates for a general manager position.

ELFCO President Stephen Gasteyer wrote in an email to ELi: “We are closing in on hiring a general manager and putting the pieces in place to get up and running. We, of course, are also excited to build additional partnerships and investors.”

Clabeaux referenced the Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor as a successful version of the model that ELFCO is trying to implement. Argus opened in 2014 and expanded to a second location in 2017. Under this model, farmers set their own prices for their produce.

In a phone interview, Clabeaux told ELi that ELFCO has already been in contact with many local producers, and that local growers have been receptive to the Argus business model.

“We are really excited to open a venue based on cooperative principles that expands opportunities for local food distribution, contributes to food justice, and builds local community,” Gasteyer told ELi.

Note: This article was corrected to note that the location is just east (not west) of 127.