Voting ends Friday for New Pioneer Food Co-op third location plan

Voting on a possible third New Pioneer Food Co-op wraps up Friday.

The cooperative likely will announce on Monday whether members approved moving forward with a third store in the Corridor.

A positive vote could bring a store as far north as Cedar Rapids or Marion. General Manager Matt Hartz said roughly 40 percent of New Pioneer's 18,000 active members live in Iowa City and another 2,000 live in Marion or Cedar Rapids.

New Pioneer Board President Sarah Walz said options also include opening a third store in Iowa City or North Liberty.

“It will be a difficult decision and that's why we don't have a preferred site right now,” Walz said. “There's good options both ways and we have to come together as a board and figure out what makes sense to do.”

Another option for the board would involve relocating the Iowa City store at 22 S. Van Buren St. to a different spot downtown to move out of the floodplain and provide more space.

Board member Ramji Balakrishnan emphasized that New Pioneer would only close the existing location if a new downtown spot became available. If the board chooses a spot outside of downtown Iowa City, the current venue would remain open.

Founded in 1971, New Pioneer also operates a second store at 1101 Second St. in Coralville.

Since announcing the “Third Location Project” in May, the board held member meetings in Iowa City, North Liberty, Marion and Cedar Rapids.

“We were trying to get a sense from the community of what issues they may have because we certainly don't want to tread on any toes. We want to be a partner with the city wherever we go,” Balakrishnan said.

Officials said turnout at the meetings in Marion and Cedar Rapids was an encouraging sign, and Balakrishnan pointed out that membership in those cities is increasing.

“I think it's good to see that the meetings in Cedar Rapids and Marion were well attended because this is just the beginning,” Walz said. “Three or four years ago we probably wouldn't be looking that far north, but now we are and we're happy to see the members motivated and active.”

A few attendees of the June 2 member meeting questioned the feasibility of New Pioneer finding success in Cedar Rapids. In 1988 the co-op operated a store in Cedar Rapids for a year, but a market analysis found Cedar Rapids has changed since that time and a northern Corridor store could be successful.

Kristie Wetjen, executive director of the NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, said she wouldn't consider a New Pioneer venue in Cedar Rapids as competition.

“I think there are enough differences between (NewBo and New Pioneer) and we obviously encourage any opportunity for people to get local or regional food products,” she said. “We can't meet all of those needs, so having those additional facilities that offer high quality local food is good.”

Members can drop off ballots at New Pioneer stores until it closes Friday. If the third store plan is approved, New Pioneer will identify potential sites and conduct detailed market studies.