After 15 years of fundraising, grants and construction setbacks, the Bethlehem Co-op Market has a certificate of occupancy, a passed health inspection, and a grand opening date of Dec. 5 at its storefront on the city's north side. The community-owned grocery store at 250 E. Broad St. will be the only grocery co-op in the Lehigh Valley once its doors open, run as a traditional grocery store with dedicated employees rather than a volunteer-staffed operation.
Board chair Todd Mertz said the opening date announcement capped 15 years of work, according to The Brown and White. Mertz became involved with the co-op in 2021 after meeting two members at an Easton farmers market that year, and he served as vice chair before rising to board chair. The initiative itself traces back to 2011, according to The Morning Call, which also reported the co-op received a $2.9 million federal grant in 2021 to help cover the cost of opening.
The Bethlehem Co-op Market now counts 1,770 member-owners, each of whom purchased a $300 equity share that, per the Morning Call's reporting, grants discounts, voting rights on the store's offerings, and equity if the store turns a profit. The project leaned on member investments, community fundraising, and federal and state grants to get this far. On its own site, the co-op said construction of the store space is now complete and the City has issued the certificate of occupancy, and that it reached a $600,000 fundraising milestone that let the board authorize a final construction phase, including refrigeration installation.
A Final Hurdle on Refrigeration Costs
That refrigeration work wasn't cheap or originally planned for. The co-op said a remaining refrigeration connection requirement of roughly $200,000 had not been included in the original construction scope, according to the Bethlehem Co-op Market's own progress FAQ. Once open, the store plans to accept SNAP, WIC and other assistance programs as part of its affordability approach, the same source notes.
Stephanie Muiraia started as general manager on Nov. 2 and now oversees day-to-day market operations. The board has said its priority is a successful first year and establishing a lasting place in Bethlehem, according to the Brown and White's reporting.
Preview Markets Drew Crowds Ahead of Launch
Rather than open cold, the co-op scheduled 11 preview events ahead of its grand opening, including Thursday vendor-shopping events and Saturday curated-box pickup events. Mertz said previous preview sessions drew more than 1,000 visitors, and the final Thursday vendor-shopping event is scheduled for Thursday. The co-op's event page lists Thursday vendor-shopping events on Oct. 1, 15 and 29 and Nov. 12, plus Saturday curated-box pickup events running from Oct. 3 through Nov. 14, with store tours and membership opportunities. WFMZ reported the co-op had grown to more than 1,700 members by the time of its coverage of the preview markets.
Local Farms See a New Outlet
For some area growers, the co-op represents a new direct line to customers. Deb and Chris Colitas operate Valley Fruits and Veggies on 55 acres of farmland near Airport and Locust roads, growing strawberries in May and selling autumn produce and seasonal decorations come fall. They plan to supply some of their farm offerings and specialty baked goods to the co-op once it opens, giving their small business a central place to reach shoppers. Deb Colitas said she hopes the market connections will encourage shoppers to also visit farms, orchards and other small businesses directly.
Bethlehem residents Nick and Kaitlyn Plum, who are raising a young child, are among those looking forward to having fresh food within walking distance. The family regularly buys mushrooms from Primordia Farm and relies on Scholl Orchards as a go-to vendor, and Nick Plum said he values having accessible fresh food close enough to walk to. The co-op brings local vendors together under one roof, within walking distance for some residents, aiming to improve access to fresh food while creating new opportunities for small businesses.
A Broader Food-Access Backdrop
The push for a Bethlehem grocery co-op has unfolded against a backdrop of concerns about food access in the city. A 2020 report from The Brown and White found South Bethlehem had been designated a food desert by the USDA due to limited grocery locations, though Lehigh political science professor Karen Beck Pooley argued the area might be better described as a food swamp, where food is available but healthy, nutritious options are scarce.
Co-op grocery projects elsewhere underline just how long these efforts can take and how fragile they can remain after opening. West Chester Co-Op opened in 2026 after 11 years of fundraising and work, ultimately costing about $1.8 million since its 2015 announcement, with membership priced at $400 and more than 800 shares sold by launch, according to New Hope Network. In Detroit, the People's Food Co-Op opened its Woodward Avenue storefront in May 2024 but was facing financial struggles by 2026, needing at least $73,000 in weekly sales to sustain operations. Next City reported that sales had fallen below that benchmark over the summer. That outlet also reported that food co-op consultant Anthony Goodwin has said it can take 10 to 12 years for a start-up co-op to become financially sustainable, and that the Food Co-Op Initiative counts remote rural areas and historically redlined urban communities as half of the 120 communities currently organizing food co-ops nationwide.
For Bethlehem, those national numbers are a reminder that opening day is a milestone, not a finish line. Still, with a certificate of occupancy in hand, a passed health inspection, and member-owners now numbering 1,770, the co-op that began as an idea in 2011 is poised to become a store its members consider their own.
