Visit the BFC site location: 250 E. Broad St.
planned opening 2022
Have you joined yet? Click here.
The Bethlehem Food Co-Op showed up at the Planning Commission last week to do the Dance of Variances and so forth, but before the business the Commission was treated to two short talks that they and perhaps you will find interesting and informative.
Gadfly thinks the BFC was trying to do some sellin’.!
He imagines a table set up in the lobby of Town Hall.
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The market analysis identified a trade area of 145,000 (?) population and up to about an 8 mile commute, the need for 45,000sq.ft. of space, a minimum of 25 parking spaces (parking has a direct impact on sales), and a lower than average household income.
The location chosen at 250 E. Broad was ideal for such reasons as good parking, on a main thoroughfare, in a location of low fresh food access (though no longer considered a food desert), within walking distance of thousands of households, accessible public transportation, good visibility to vehicles and pedestrians, ample space, and a new building without need of retrofitting an older one.
Interesting facts: 265 current members live within a one mile radius and 8500-9000 households within a mile radius.
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Toby Massey, a consultant, gave such interesting facts as an average basket size is $28 and approx. 225,000 transactions per year, averaging 4400 per week. The significance of this 
Massey also gave a pep talk, comparing with statistics Co-Ops favorably to privately owned stores, indicating, for instance, that after 5 years 90% of the cooperatives are still in business and that money spent there goes back to local economy.
Good stuff!