The Mifflin Street Cooperative, 32 N. Bassett St., will oppose the construction of any additional Mifflin Street grocery stores, including one sponsored by fellow Willy Street Co-op, 1221 Williamson St., after a vote among Mifflin Co-op members Tuesday night.
The Willy Street Co-op had asked Mifflin Street Co-op members if they would be comfortable with another branch of the Willy Street Co-op opening in Metropolitan Place, 333 W. Mifflin, a block from the current Mifflin Street Co-op location.
The Mifflin Co-op's members instead voted to organize against the opening of any new grocery facility, Willy Street Co-op sponsored or not. Willy Street Co-op Communications Manager Brendon Smith said the co- op will continue to search for a second location. One ongoing consideration is a Monroe Street location, he said. According to Mifflin Street Co-op shiftworker Justin Mog, the new location of Willy Street Co-op would probably necessitate Mifflin Co-op's close.
\Willy Street, in the spirit of cooperation among cooperatives, wasn't willing to just move in there and steal our market without our approval,"" Mog said.
Mifflin Co-op members plan on attending City Council meetings next week to ask council members not to permit a new grocery store on Mifflin Street.
""A lot of our members are going to go to ... tell the city, 'Look, you guys say you support small local grocery stores like ours; why you would allow [the Metropolitan Place developer] to drive us out of business?'"" Mog said.
