As rumored, the Lexington Co-op is opening a second location at 1678 Hertel Avenue. The Co-op has signed a deal to take the site of a vacant CVS Pharmacy on the north side of Hertel between Wallace and Starin. A residential building with an attached storefront to the west of the property is also part of the development footprint. The $5 million project will involve an addition to the current CVS building.
photo by NorthBuffalo.org on Facebook
In early 2011, the Co-op’s Board of Directors committed to doubling the size of the Co-op by 2015. The Co-op’s current location at Elmwood and Lancaster opened in September 2005 with 5,000 sq. ft. of space. The Lexington Cooperative Market was formed in 1971 by 35 members who wanted access to whole foods at reasonable prices. Today membership stands at 10,000.
Over 1,400 customers come through the doors each day. 52 cents of each dollar spent in the store stay in the Buffalo Niagara economy.
“In 2011, we recognized that the Elmwood store’s popularity was becoming outsized for our space.” said Jennifer Nalbone, Lexington Co-op Board President. “Since we announced our intention to open a second store, the owner requests for a Hertel Avenue location were loud and steady. We listened, and we’re thrilled with our second store location.”
The opening of a location on Hertel Avenue will amplify the co-op’s capacity to connect community members with Western New York’s growers and producers. Little Valley beekeeper Bob Brachman expects honey sales to jump. “When the Co-op announced their expansion vision in 2012, I thought, ‘I’ll have to ramp up production.”
“We’re honored to be joining a vibrant neighborhood of dedicated residents and business owners in North Buffalo,” said Tim Bartlett, General Manager of the Lexington Cooperative Market. “Our second location on Hertel Avenue will help keep more dollars flowing back into our community.”
Kevin Brinkworth Jr and Elisa Brinkworth are the Hertel Avenue property owners and are excited to have the Co-op as a tenant. Sheldon Berlow from Pyramid Brokerage negotiated and affected the deal. Derek Flynn of Northwest Savings Bank is providing the financing for the Landlord’s buildout. The Co-op is working with Community Bank and the National Co-op Bank to finance their work.
The Hertel Avenue store is expected to open in the spring of 2016.
The construction timeline is dependent on raising funding from Co-op membership but an opening target date is spring 2016.