Businesses in downtown Peterborough are breathing easier with word that the Monadnock Food Co-op of Keene is not pursuing plans to expand into town.
On March 27, the co-op’s general manager said that they were not planning to establish a site in town, a prospect which prompted concern among 52 area businesses who signed a letter to the co-op’s board in February explaining their concerns.
“We have no intent to expand into Peterborough. I think there’s been a misunderstanding or miscommunication,” said Michael Faber, the co-op’s general manager. “We’ve talked about expansion, but I had people speaking to me, suggesting they’d heard that our signing a lease for the EMS space was imminent, which was not the case.”
Eastern Mountain Sports vacated commercial space on Vose Farm Road off Route 202 last year, and the property was still advertised as available for leasing. On March 26, Peterborough business owner Anna Von Mertens sent an email to signatories of the February letter stating that “the co-op have shared that they have not selected a location, are not actively engaged with a real estate agent, and are simply in the exploratory stage.” Von Mertens stated that the decision emerged from at the March 17 meeting of the co-op board of directors.
According to Faber, the co-op could consider Jaffrey.
“We would like to expand,” he said.
In the co-op’s January newsletter, a board of directors update section included the following statement: “I also look forward to further exploring the possibility of expanding our co-op and bringing the wonderful aspects it has to offer to our neighboring community of Peterborough.” It was signed by Dee Fitzgearald, the board’s president.
In February, more than four dozen businesses in Peterborough signed a letter to the co-op’s board, explaining the possible impact of the firm’s presence in town.
“We are small business owners in downtown Peterborough writing with concerns about increasing mention of co-op plans for a second store to be located in Peterborough,” the letter began. It noted the “potential negative impact” that such a presence could have on “the vibrancy of downtown,” adding that Peterborough was only 28% the size of Keene, and that the co-op coming to the town could “significantly erode small profit margins” for merchants in Peterborough. In 2024, the co-op had $22 million in sales.
The letter went on to laud the co-op’s purpose, stating that it has “a beautiful vision and a meaningful mission statement.” It added that while contemplating the co-op’s expansion to Peterborough is “discouraging” for merchants in town, they acknowledged that this “is not your intention.”
Asked how the notion of the co-op moving to the EMS site on Vose Farm Road, Von Mertens suggested “the rumor mill got going”
“Someone perhaps saw the comment in the January newsletter, and someone else said ‘Where would they go?’ and someone else probably said ‘We’ll the EMS site is for lease,’” said Von Mertens.
Von Mertens said on March 28 that the co-op has seen “how overwhelming the response of concern” was, and she emailed downtown business that “the co-op is saying they are open to exploring expansion in Jaffrey,” and that the news from Keene allowed her to “breathe a huge sigh of relief.”
Other downtown merchants responded similarly.
“We’re happy they’re looking at another location,” said Elizabeth Littles of Steele’s Stationers.
Brad Miller of Roy’s Market expressed a similar sentiment.
“I love the co-op. I worked with them when I farmed,” he said. “If they recognized that coming to a town served by small businesses and cafes is not great for us, great. It’s also good if they’re looking for an area in need of a grocery.”