Broad Street renovations around the corner
Betsy Woodruff
Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: Your News
Broad Street Market, soon to be renamed Broad Street Downtown Market, will get a makeover along with new owners just in time for next semester.
"We are at full throttle right now -- we're working sunup to sundown," said Penny Windgate, one of the future co-owners. "It is going to be redone, cleaned up, refurbished -- people won't even recognize it when we're done, we're hoping."
Penny and Chris Windgate and Michael Ritter, co-owners of the TeamOne food store across from the fairgrounds, won a bid from the city of Hillsdale to redesign the shop.
The city purchased Broad Street five years ago, planning to tear down the building and build a new courthouse, Windgate said. The city gave the owner of the building an open lease, on the stipulation that they would vacate it in five years.
Five years came and went, and the city never got enough money to build the courthouse. Instead, it decided to use the building to attract more business to the downtown area, offering to sell it for one dollar to the developer that submitted the most promising bid for remodeling it.
The Windgate's and Ritter's proposal, which includes adding a coffee area, beer cave, meat market and deli, fresh produce and hand-dipped ice cream, impressed the city council most.
"Having a grocery store downtown has become a very important economic revitalization tool for a lot of communities," said Christine Bowman, the city's economic development director.
The new owners will take possession of the building in April, and hope to have all their improvements finished by May.
They plan to enlarge Broad Street's selection of alcoholic beverages by adding a greater variety of wine and a beer cave. Windgate said she plans to stock the store with up to 100 labels of wine, each $15 or less.
They will also sell lottery tickets, offer wireless Internet access, add indoor seating, and keep longer hours. They also plan to add an awning for outdoor seating. Michael Windgate is building custom cabinetry and wine racks.
"We are at full throttle right now -- we're working sunup to sundown," said Penny Windgate, one of the future co-owners. "It is going to be redone, cleaned up, refurbished -- people won't even recognize it when we're done, we're hoping."
Penny and Chris Windgate and Michael Ritter, co-owners of the TeamOne food store across from the fairgrounds, won a bid from the city of Hillsdale to redesign the shop.
The city purchased Broad Street five years ago, planning to tear down the building and build a new courthouse, Windgate said. The city gave the owner of the building an open lease, on the stipulation that they would vacate it in five years.
Five years came and went, and the city never got enough money to build the courthouse. Instead, it decided to use the building to attract more business to the downtown area, offering to sell it for one dollar to the developer that submitted the most promising bid for remodeling it.
The Windgate's and Ritter's proposal, which includes adding a coffee area, beer cave, meat market and deli, fresh produce and hand-dipped ice cream, impressed the city council most.
"Having a grocery store downtown has become a very important economic revitalization tool for a lot of communities," said Christine Bowman, the city's economic development director.
The new owners will take possession of the building in April, and hope to have all their improvements finished by May.
They plan to enlarge Broad Street's selection of alcoholic beverages by adding a greater variety of wine and a beer cave. Windgate said she plans to stock the store with up to 100 labels of wine, each $15 or less.
They will also sell lottery tickets, offer wireless Internet access, add indoor seating, and keep longer hours. They also plan to add an awning for outdoor seating. Michael Windgate is building custom cabinetry and wine racks.
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