LaX store backers aim for Farmers fest

Exterior work to begin next month

Exterior work on the new grocery store at LaCrosse is expected to begin next week, according to Ed Casey, president of LaCrosse Community Pride.

“I know it’s felt like a slow-go with all the work being done inside,” said Casey. “But now people will start to see the real thing happening.”

LaCrosse has been without a store since Jerry Chastain closed the market in February 2009.

The goal of LaCrosse Community Pride is to have the new store up and running in time for the June Farmers’ Fest, the annual LaCrosse community celebration.

With the new wiring, refrigeration and ceiling completed, crews will begin replacing the store front windows in January, giving passersby an exterior view of the efforts to bring groceries back to LaCrosse.

LaCrosse Community Pride has for the past year been raising funds to renovate the old LaCrosse Market building into a grocery store, library, office space combination in order to return groceries to LaCrosse.

Framing for the office spaces will begin once the windows are completed, said Casey.

Estimated price tag of the renovation is more than $190,000. Local fundraising efforts have come up with much of that, with grants from the Port of Whitman and county adding additional funding to the group’s coffers.

“We’re getting real close to our goal,” said Casey. “We’re just in the last push of our fundraising.”

He said the group is about $15,000 short of its anticipated needs. Donors can contact any member of LaCrosse Community pride if they wish to donate.

An economic analysis performed in 2009 by WSU researchers showed a grocery store could be profitable in LaCrosse, but operators could not repay start-up costs.

Casey said removing those costs to bring in someone to run a store is the group’s goal. They anticipate as many as 15 jobs could be created out of the marketplace building.

The group has yet to solidify a deal with a store operator, but Casey said they have several people who have expressed serious interest.

He said the group will soon begin interviewing potential proprietors so they can help design finishing touches on the store construction.

A Seattle chiropractor has committed to practice in the building at least weekly.

In 2010, the market building was deeded to LaCrosse Community Pride after it was purchased by Judy Harder and Alex McGregor. Along with the grocery, the group plans to put a library branch and several office spaces inside the building.

Whitman County Library earlier this year received a $40,000 grant from the county’s .09 fund to remodel space for the LaCrosse library.