Collingswood, home to a thriving farmers' market and a lively restaurant scene -- but no supermarket -- may soon add two locally owned food stores to its bustling downtown.
The Welcome Market & Cafe expects to open at 712 Haddon Ave. next month. "The concept is to bring great, locally sourced and other food to a town that really values it," says entrepreneur Eli Massar, who is opening the 2,000 square foot store with business partner, Chris Thomas. "Collingswood and the surrounding areas have been starving, pun intended, for alternatives and options."
As my Inquirer colleague Clark Mindock reports, a second grocer -- McFarlan's Market, of Merchantville -- plans to open on the opposite side of the avenue if the borough commission votes Sept. 2 to approve a development plan for the former National Food Stores building. Meanwhile, efforts to establish a Collingswood food co-op continue as well.
"We can't lose if we have more sources of good, fresh local food," says farmers market director David Hodges. "I believe we'll all find synergies and ways of cooperating we never dreamed possible."
"You can never have too much of a good thing," says Mayor Jim Maley, who credits the pending completion of the LumberYard residential and commercial complex on the avenue with boosting interest in downtown. "It's been a long time coming."
--KEVIN RIORDAN
Updated: 2:30 p.m.