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New Cooperative Grocery Store to Open on Gottingen

Community Carrot Coop announces purchase of building, store to open in spring 2014

by Erica Butler



2063 Gottingen Street, Halifax 2063 Gottingen Street, Halifax

Norman Greenberg, Chair, Community Carrot Cooperative Norman Greenberg, Chair, Community Carrot Cooperative

The Community Carrot has purchased a building to house a new cooperative grocery store in Halifax's North End. The building, at 2063 Gottingen, is currently home to Mbuji Mayi Market and Kevin Muise Interiors. The Community Carrot will take over the building in March, and combine the two storefronts to house the new fresh food store.

The goal of the Community Carrot is to provide fresh and affordable food to a neighborhood that has lacked this service for a long time.

"This has been a five year odyssey," said board chair Norman Greenberg at the announcement Tuesday night. "The board has worked extremely hard. There were many issues, many challenges. To have turned this win of $115,000 into the purchase of a building [is] astounding, wonderful."

In January the Community Carrot won $115,000 from the Aviva Community Fund, in part through the online voting efforts of residents and supporters. The coop also secured loans from Halifax Community Investment Fund ($100,000) and the Vancity Resiliency Fund ($150,000), and a mortgage from the Community Credit Union in Truro.

The Community Carrot will sell memberships under a cooperative model, but the store will be open to anyone to shop. "Only the commitment to shop there will keep it going," said board member Cathy Carmody.

Audio: Norman Greenberg announces Community Carrot's purchase of 2063 Gottingen, December 3, 2013. (3:57)

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