Steering Committee visit with 7 Root Group
The sixth meeting of the Steering Committee took place on October 16th and welcomed Joel Kopischke from the 7 Roots Group to discuss the process of utilizing the former Presbyterian Church for Big River Grocery. Joel, along with store designer Nicole Klimek spent the previous two days in Helena touring the area, checking out the food landscape of Helena and West Helena, and getting to know the building. "We don't see any issues," remarked Joel. "The site is the best site you could get downtown due to the advantageous location at the corner of two busy streets. Parking, deliveries, and trash are the three biggest concerns and these can all be handled easily at that site."
At the latest planning meeting, the team talked about important steps for the store, including planning the store layout and thinking about what products and services the community needs. The goal is to create a place where people can shop, find healthy food, and support local producers.
Joel added some additional insight into the size of the store. “The key thing is that your store has to be BOUNTIFUL. If it is too small, then it is too much like a bodega and people won’t feel like it is a full-service store. If it is too large, you risk it feeling cavernous and that isn’t a good feeling either.” Figuring out this delicate balance will be a lot easier with expert help and 7 Roots has a resume that includes over 700 stores in all 50 states.
Big River Grocery will also focus on community involvement. We want to hear from neighbors and make the store a place where everyone feels welcome. The team is excited about the progress and the process.
Joel suggested having images of different stores on display at a future event and inviting community members to consider which images speak to them. Which ones do you like the best? Where would you feel most comfortable? Which store would you want to shop in and why? Below are photos of different grocery stores from across the United States. Which images speak to you and why? Where would you like to shop? Where would you not like to shop? What about the image is appealing or off-putting?
