The Future Home of The Sugar Beet Co-op

The Core Committee is excited to announce that we are in final lease negotiations to secure a retail space at 812 W. Madison for our community co-op.

January 25, 2014

Dear Members and Supporters,

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It is with great pleasure that we announce that The Sugar Beet Core Committee is close to signing a lease with Interfaith Housing Development Corporation to lease, for 10 years, a 5,300 square foot retail space at 812 W. Madison in Oak Park.

The beautiful, all new retail space is LEED certified and geothermal with new mechanicals and a permeable paver parking lot to the West. The first floor retail space is part of a mixed used development project owned by Interfaith Housing Development Corporation that manages the 52 low income apartments above.

Both Interfaith and The Sugar Beet are excited about the synergy between our community-owned grocery store and the residents who will live above the store. It is a good match for both parties and local residents and we have the support of The Madison Street Business Association and The Village of Oak Park, as well.

When The Sugar Beet Co-op Core Committee learned about the leasing opportunity and below market lease terms offered by Interfaith, we began working with a group of co-op members to secure funds to lease the retail space. In 8 weeks we have secured almost $200k in pledges that will make this important step possible and get us well on our way to opening our community co-op in early 2015.

This development has activated many projects within our Core Committee including tightening the program for build-out, working with other agencies to ensure sustainability, building our product sourcing guidelines, vendor list and more.

We have a lot of work ahead of us and we are grateful for your commitment to this project. YOU- our community of neighbors of neighbors and friends in the good food movement are making change happen. TOGETHER- we are building something that will serve our community and our regional farmers and producers for years to come.
Please help us spread the word and help build membership and support through your circles by sharing this news and your commitment to change.

A quote from a beloved community builder:

"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yours Truly,
Cheryl Muñoz
Co-founder, The Sugar Beet Co-op