On June 27th, Mariposa Food Co-Op broke ground at the site of their new store along with Mayor Michael Nutter and over 160 co-op members and supporters. (Click the photo above to see more photos from the event.) The new store at 4824 Baltimore Avenue will offer five times as much space as their original location and will provide greater access to healthy, locally-grown and sustainably-produced food. The new store will be able to accommodate a larger membership and be open to non-member shoppers also.

The scope includes the renovation of a former 2-story bank building of approximately 4,000 square feet. While much of the original structure will remain, the new plan will include a large clearstory space for retail, a gathering area for members and their children, and a new kitchen for prepared foods. The work includes new electrical service and distribution, mechanical upgrades, structural enhancements, skylights, ornamental railings, retail displays  and refrigeration, and new finishes throughout.

Mariposa Food Co-op is a member owned and operated retail food cooperative that has maintained a storefront in West Philadelphia since the early 1970s.