WILMINGTON — The Northside Food Co-op is no longer seeking to set up shop at 10th and Post streets, marking the end of the grocery store vision for the property once backed by two governments and the New Hanover Community Endowment.
Dorian Cromartie, board chair of the co-op, informed the New Hanover County manager of its decision in a letter dated June 29.
“The long-term sustainability and financial health of our grocery cooperative depends on being situated in a location with high visibility and strong foot traffic, one that is more accessible to a broader customer base and allows us to build the retail presence necessary to thrive as a community-owned business,” Cromartie wrote in the letter, adding the co-op is still actively pursuing properties.
READ MORE: Endowment releases details on grant unraveling, IRS problems with Northside Food Co-op
The food co-op was granted $6.7 million from The Endowment and $2.5 million from the county to operate a grocery store on a 2.5-acre parcel donated by the county. It began to evaluate the store’s location after the city announced a deal to bring a major grocery chain to Chestnut Street in 2024, though the plan has since been abandoned.
The food co-op’s exploration of other sites — plus the determination that donating to the co-op, which is not a nonprofit, would violate The Endowment’s IRS restrictions — caused The Endowment to revoke its grant in May 2025. The Endowment said it was still trying to find a workaround by granting the money to the county as a pass-through, but when the county pulled its funding for the store in June 2025, this fell through.
Despite the loss of funding, Northside Food Co-op Project Manager Cierra Washington told Port City Daily in July 2025 the group was still committed to opening a grocery store on the Northside.
On Friday, Washington said the now-defunct Chestnut Street grocery played a role in the food co-op’s decision to explore alternative locations.
“At the same time, our market analysis, grocery consultants, and board concluded that, regardless of whether that project moved forward, another location would provide a stronger foundation for the co-op’s long-term financial sustainability,” Washington wrote in an email to Port City Daily.
Washington said the co-op is not ready to publicly discuss the specific locations it’s exploring. She said her team is welcoming ideas and leads from neighbors, property owners, and developers who are interested in helping make the project a reality.
“Ultimately, our project has never been about a single parcel of land,” Washington wrote. “It’s about expanding healthy food access in Northside. We strongly support a variety of food access solutions for our community while remaining focused on building a community-owned grocery store that can serve residents for generations.”
A county spokesperson told Port City Daily that Cromartie’s letter was preceded by the county asking the co-op to communicate its long-term plan for the site.
An email thread shared with Port City Daily showed County Manager Chris Coudriet and Chief Finance Officer Eric Credle met with Frankie Roberts, co-op board member and founder of LINC, on June 19. Coudriet told commissioners he is expecting a letter from the co-op expressing its desire to “move on” from the 10th and Post streets spot.
“This creates an opportunity to rethink how that parcel might be used, consistent with the city/county agreement,” Coudriet wrote.
Cromartie’s letter requests the county consider continuing to use the property for food access solutions, noting the co-op would help with the transition to a new partner if helpful.
“Whether as a food access point, a community resource, or another innovative solution, we believe this plot holds real potential for residents of the Northside neighborhood, and we look forward to seeing it put to use for the greater good,” Cromartie wrote.
Per the land agreement between the city and county, the county must pay the city back the land’s assessed value if the property ceases to be used as a grocery store. The city originally tried to insert a reverter clause in the agreement but decided against it in negotiations with the county; it would have required the county to return ownership of the land back if it ceased to be used as a grocery store.
Port City Daily asked the county if another food access facility, not necessarily a grocery store, would trigger a payment to the city. A spokesperson said if the current use of the property were to change, the county would “work through that directly with the city.”
Emails obtained by Port City Daily show there is already interest in the site; Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, an emergency food pantry nonprofit, has reached out to commissioners and county staff about using the site for a new facility.
Port City Daily reached out to Executive Director Roxann Lansdowne for more details on the proposal; she declined to speak at this time.
Albert Eby, a representative from Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, reached out to the county in April inquiring about the land. He wrote the nonprofit serves 500 to 600 families weekly and has outgrown its current facility on Red Cross Street. He inquired whether the former co-op site was for sale.
Assistant County Manager Jessica Loeper replied the county is “not in a position to do anything with the property” at the time.
On June 11, another Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard representative, Jane Spicer, noted the nonprofit has a printed proposal with a schematic of the proposed building in an email to Commissioner Rob Zapple. Another email, from Lansdowne on July 24 indicates she tried to set up a meeting with Commissioner Chair LeAnn Pierce.
Pierce told Port City Daily on Friday she has planned a meeting with Lansdowne to discuss Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard’s plans.
Washington said the co-op was aware of Mother Hubbard’s interest in the site and indicated support for food access.
Port City Daily asked the county for any proposals or documents it had been provided; county spokespersons said there was nothing to share and that the future use of the 10th and Post streets site has not been determined.
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