Timeline

2021
January 13

We’re Hiring!

we're hiring. Be a part of the Gem City Market team!
Things are really picking up momentum now as we expand our Gem City Market team! We’re looking for dedicated, community-oriented servant leaders to grow with us and achieve our mission: To serve, engage, and empower our neighborhoods by providing affordable, high quality food in a clean and welcoming environment that is worker and community owned.  We are currently accepting applications for: Culinary Manager Data and POS Coordinator Administrative and Engagement Coordinator Outreach Coordinator Sound like someone you know? Share and apply! (Department Leads and cross-trained entry positions will be in future rounds of hiring. Stay tuned!) https://gemcitymarketcooperative.easyapply.co/
January 13

3,200+ Member-Owners!

We can mark the milestone of reaching over 50% Trade Area Zip Code Membership! We are more than 3,200 community member-owners strong.
2020
October 27

Construction Update!

October 7

Construction Photos!

More photos of the materials and supplies being transformed into our grocery co-op!
September 23

Construction Photos

Construction photos from the site on 09-22-2020    
September 2

Community Meeting Online

Community Meeting Online
Learn about the efforts to bring Play into our outdoor spaces as Play On Purpose presents activities and themes for our outdoor play area. Replay of our online Community Meeting on August 27th is still up online! www.crowdcast.io/e/GCM-August-27  
September 2

2,766 Member-Owners!

We have over 2,766 Community-Owners. 1,277 reside within the Trade Area Zip Codes, and 193 of those are $10 Memberships.
September 2

Construction at the site! Almost enclosed!

Our architect Matt Sauer visits the site regularly and sends photos on . . . so much action on the site!
August 11

Let’s Eat: A child’s view of Gem City Market

Let’s Eat: A child’s view of Gem City Market
Students from both Edison School and Dayton Leadership academy were asked to envision a trip to the market or what they think a grocery should look like: the people or aisles, the produce, or employees. With three drawings from both schools, alongside photography from Jennings, artwork from Oyeyemi, and architectural drawings of the completed Gem City Market, these 10 large format banners are intended to inspire the community along the high traffic Salem corridor. “Even through the process of fundraising and getting the ground broken on this project we’re already seeing a movement in our community,” Kenya Baker, Gem City..Read More
August 7

2,700 Community Member-Owners

We have over 2,700 Community-Owners. 1,227 reside within the Trade Area Zip Codes, and 182 of those are $10 Memberships.
August 3

Annual Report Sent to Member-Owners

Annual Report Sent to Member-Owners
Our 2019-2020 Annual Report went out to Member-Owners in July! If you expected to receive it and haven’t seen it, check your spam or promotions filters and tabs. . .
August 3

Steel! (Click here for larger photos)

We can see the building start to take on shape and form with the steel being placed!
June 18

Construction continues…

Construction continues…
May 14

Time-lapse video of concrete pour

Time-lapse video of concrete pour
Click to watch: The walls to the front (with the wood forms) are the retaining walls for the raised outside deck area. The flat pours (concrete level with the ground) are the footers. There is another area at the rear of the lot that is the retaining wall for the delivery dock. Foundations will be block and hopefully will start in the next week or two. All drains and catch basins for the parking lot has also been installed(doesn’t show in the video because they are buried but that work has also been accomplished).
April 23

Concrete Pouring Commences

Concrete Pouring Commences
Construction teams have started on pouring the footers and retaining walls for Gem City Market. Matt Sauer caught a snapshot of a drain basin and catch being poured in the future parking lot!
April 8

Announcement: Annual Members Meeting Postponed

The Board has voted to postpone the Annual Members Meeting until such time as it is safe to gather publicly in groups; potentially late summer or early autumn. While physically distancing amid COVID-19 presents challenges for movement building, we are committed building relationships between member-owners, and transparently sharing project information. In lieu of physical community meetings, we are working on alternate ways to stay in touch! We’d love to know what you’ve seen working well in your recent new experiences. Visit our Contact Us page.
April 1

GCM goes to Up & Coming

GCM goes to Up & Coming
In early March 2020, a group of Gem City Market Member-Owners attended the Up & Coming Food Co-op Conference, in Madison Wisconsin. Up & Coming attracts start-up organizing groups, board members, and co-op staff from around the country to learn and grow together. This year the conference was in Madison, WI on Mar 6-7, 2020. Programming was 2 days with over 55 workshops presented by 50+ speakers, both consultants and peers. Our own Amaha Sellassie, Kenya Baker, and Lela Klein presented, attending their 3rd Up & Coming to-date. With their costs covered by the conference organizers for presenting, CO-OP Dayton was able..Read More
2019
December 17

2,400 Community-Owners

We have over 2,400 Community-Owners. 1,054 reside within the Trade Area, and 125 of those are $10 Memberships.
December 17

Finalizing New Market Tax Credits Transaction

Finalizing New Market Tax Credits Transaction
Our financing has been finalized! With the NMTC transaction completed, grading the site and other earthwork will commence after the turn of the year. Click item title to go to a letter from Lela Klein, Executive Director of CO-OP Dayton.  
December 17

Grading the site and Earthwork

Site work is moving forward. The construction of essential businesses like grocery stores is allowed during the stay-at-home order. Our General Contractor WISE Construction is taking necessary precautions for the health of all workers on the site, including installing additional hand-washing stations on-site, and confirming the absence of symptoms when workers report on-site. It’s been a mild, but WET winter which poses its own challenges. We continue to find unforeseen conditions under the ground. Pockets of old construction debris need to be excavated and replaced with suitable fill material.  Further delays are likely, but we will continue to move forward..Read More
December 17

2nd Annual Members Meeting

2nd Annual Members Meeting
We transitioned an appointed board seat to our third Community Elected Board Seat. Member and Trade Area resident Shavelta Harding was voted in. Jule Rastiskis, who held an appointed board seat stepped down. This rounds out the board to 9 members. The membership also voted yes on whether to pursue the sale of alcohol ( beer and wine ) by petitioning the precinct, and developing a responsible alcohol sales policy.  
December 17

Community Partnership: Premier Health Announces Neighborhood 50/50 Match @ Community Meeting

Community Partnership: Premier Health Announces Neighborhood 50/50 Match @ Community Meeting
Premier Health has contributed funds allowing Gem City Market to offer $50 Community-Owner Membership Shares to individuals living in the market neighborhood zip codes of: 45402, 05, 06, 16, 17, 26. We have a goal of 1,800 Trade Area Members by open. Before the match was announced, our Trade Area membership was at 743 members.
December 17

Demolition of Building on Site

Demolition of Building on Site
Subcontractor Tallview Palladium demolished the old McCallister’s Art Supply building that stood on the 300-400 block of Salem where Gem City Market will be built.
December 17

2,000 Members!

2,000 Members!
December 17

New Logo Reveal @ Community Meeting

New Logo Reveal @ Community Meeting
We’ve traveled a long way together on our way to opening our co-op! Gem City Market began as a big idea… and we had a logo that reflected that. Now we’re ready to embark on a whole new phase of our journey, so we need a bold new identity to reflect our new retail store.
December 17

Deep Listening Campaign Kick-Off @ Community Meeting

Deep Listening Campaign Kick-Off @ Community Meeting
We have a goal of welcoming 600 new $10 Members living in our Trade Area (zip codes 45402, 05, 06, 16, 17, 26) before opening our doors. You can support this goal by joining our team as we get out knocking on doors to talk with residents about the new grocery store coming to the neighborhood. For me information email: Kenya Baker [email protected] 
December 17

First Annual Block Party

First Annual Block Party
We welcomed hundreds of members and supporters to celebrate with us at the future site of Gem City Market with a Block Party in 2018.
December 17

Ceremonial Community Groundbreaking @ Annual Block Party

Ceremonial Community Groundbreaking @ Annual Block Party
We estimate 500 – 700 members and supporters joined us for our Ceremonial Community Groundbreaking. Burgers were grilled, booths were visited, connections were made. We collected nearly 50 grocery receipts, the best way to find out what you really want to buy and cook, to help us stock our shelves smartly! Over 40 individuals made the decision to join the cooperative as a community-owner. We collected over $800 in Supporter Equity (and CO-OP Dayton gave out over 50 t-shirt thank yous!) About 50 individuals volunteered (receiving potluck dishes, serving food, supporting the grill masters, grilling, and stepping in where ever..Read More
December 17

Community Partnership: Teaching Kitchen with Kettering Health

Community Partnership: Teaching Kitchen with Kettering Health
One feature making Gem City Market more than a grocery store will be the teaching kitchen located within the store. Programming will come from community partners including Kettering Health Network.
December 17

GCM Contracts with Firebrand for Brand Refresh and Retail Rollout

Firebrand, a marketing agency cooperative with extensive experience in food co-op start-ups has been chosen to create the new logo and branding for Gem City Market.