Construction is coming along! The building is taking shape; the roof is on; and things are looking great! 
 
Take a ride by the site to see the progress. Things are going to start changing fast.
 
Based on our current construction estimates, we are looking at opening sometime in January. The dream is fast becoming a reality!
 

Help us get the word out about the benefits of supporting your community market! With opening just a few months away, now is the time to call your friends, knock on your neighbors' doors, and sign up some new owners for the co-op. The more owners we have, the stronger our market will be, and that is good for everyone--We are Stronger Together! 
 

Thank you all for the warm welcome I have received so far. I am excited to be here, and I already have much to report.
 
As many of you know, this co-op market was originally named with a location in the Durham Central Park district in mind. As we move into our actual location, on West Chapel Hill Street, conveniently located near to downtown, both Duke campuses, and many residential neighborhoods, we have changed the name of the market to avoid confusion, and to emphasize our cooperative structure. From now on, Durham Central Market will be known as Durham Co-op Market.
 
With the help of Durham-based graphic designer Darwin Campa, we updated our logo. This clean, straightforward design highlights our connection to the National Cooperative Grocers Association, of which we recently became a proud member. This organization links us with about 150 other food co-ops nationwide, including Weaver Street Market, Company Shops Market in Burlington, and Deep Roots Market in Greensboro. Once the store opens, you will see the green "co+" on everything from our coffee cups to our grocery bags to our bi-monthly sales flyer.
 
I was thrilled to see a great turn out at our Pompieri Pizza event on June 3rd. I was delighted to get to meet owners and supporters of the co-op, and to see them enjoying themselves together. We plan to host several similar events in the coming months. So keep you eye on Facebook and on this page for details. One question people kept asking: when will the store open? While I cannot offer a firm date, as construction is a complicated business, I will do my best to keep you all up to speed on our progress. Right now, it is looking like the store will open sometime just after the new year.
 
Many have also asked about potential employment opportunities at the store. I will be consumed with the work of planning and building the physical space for the next few months. I plan to start hiring a couple months before we open, possibly as soon as November. In the meantime, please send potential candidates my way. I count on our whole community to connect me with talented, hard-working people who want to put some energy into getting this exciting institution off the ground. We will have something like 20-30 positions to fill with a wide range of required levels of skill and experience.
 
Looking forward to adventures ahead,
Leila Wolfrum
General Manager

We have big news! The Durham Central Market is more than a building, it’s now also an employer!
 
The Durham Central Market Board of Directors is thrilled to announce the selection of Leila Wolfrum as the Market’s general manager.
 
Leila recently returned to Durham from Burlington where she was the Operations Manager at Company Shops Market, another food co-op. Leila was there from the beginning and helped guide the store through the start-up phase in a challenging environment. In addition to her work in starting Company Shops, Leila helped to develop an ingenious produce purchasing system that has increased the volume of locally grown food sold at the store. She brings that knowledge with her to Durham Central Market as well as a commitment to make our store and its products accessible to all members of our community.
 
Leila’s entire professional career has been devoted to promoting sustainable agriculture, local investment and neighborhood economic development through fair business practices. Before her job at Company Shops, Leila managed the Eno River Farmers Market. She has also worked as a production manager at Locopops in Durham and Simple Kneads Bakery in Greensboro.
 
The Board of Director’s General Manager Search Committee conducted an exhaustive and thorough search to find our first general manager. It was a process that began in November and netted 46 applicants, many of whom had deep experience in natural foods retail management. After reviewing the applications, and a series of interviews and reference checks for the finalists, it was clear to every member of our board that Leila was the top candidate. Her intelligence, retail experience, and sensitivity to the values that distinguish a co-op from other businesses left no doubt that Leila Wolfrum was the choice to become the general manager of the Durham Central Market.
 
With Leila at the helm, there’s plenty more good news ahead. Stay tuned!
 

Join DCM board president and North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC host, Frank Stasio, for a TedX-style talk on  Real Capitalism - Investing in Our Community, Investing in Each Other.  The talk will be held this coming Tuesday, 4/29, from 6:30-8pm at the Intrepid Coffee Shop & Spirits, (106 W. Parrish St., Suite 1) and is co-sponsored by Slow Money NC, Transition Durham, and Intrepid Life Coffee & Spirits!  More information is available at  http://www.transitiondurham.org/events/real-capitalism-investing-community/

Despite the recent crazy weather, construction on the store is bounding along.   The Pathways house has been moved to another area of the site (upper right of the photo).  The first concrete (the literal foundation of DCM) has been poured , and the walls and columns are coming up.  This photo is from Feb. 27th.  Stop by and see how work is progressing on our collectively-owned co-op grocery!!  

 
Durham Central Market board president Frank Stasio and board members Alisa Johnson and Susan Callaghan make a presentation to the PAC 3 meeting this Saturday, March 8 at 10:00 AM. PAC, or Partners Against Crime is a community organization interested in civic affairs. PAC 3 is the district that includes the Market. The presentation is part of our ongoing effort to build community relations as construction moves forward.
The following Saturday, March 15, Frank will meet with the Lyon Park Neighborhood Association to talk about the benefits the Market will bring to this area.
At both events we expect to do a lot of listening to hear what neighbors want and expect of the Durham Central Market.
 

In case you missed it, here's DCM Board President Frank Stasio's take on Durham, where the impossible is always possible, including an community owned & financed co-op grocery!   From the Herald-Sun, 2/16/13.
http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/guestcolumnists/x147182764/Durham-where...
 

Frank Stasio will be at the Slow Money NC Gathering at Johnny's in Carrboro on Monday, February 3rd at 7:30.  Frank will be joining other local food producers and entrepreneurs and giving the attendees an update on DCM's progress.  

We'll be posting these aerial photos of the site construction as we receive them monthly from Self-Help.  The yellow arrow indicates where the store is going to be (the white house and the lot behind).  The house is scheduled to be moved sometime this week.  Stay tuned!!