The Merc to Open in Downtown KCK

After 44 years of business in Lawrence, The Merc, a community-owned food co-op, has revealed its plans to open a second location located in Downtown Kansas City, Kansas. The plan is to open the store at the corner of 5th and Minnesota.  According to the company’s press release, they are in the process of negotiating a management agreement with the Unified Government of Kansas City/Wyandotte County.  The Kansas City Star reports that the location will cost about $6 million.

In their press release, The Merc representatives said, “When the UG first approached us to be part of this revitalization plan, we were skeptical. The demographics don’t “fit” with what market analysts identify as “co-op shoppers,” and we feared being part of a gentrification project. But, as we explored this plan further, we found that many KCK community members have an awareness and a desire for a community-owned grocery store.”