Updates on Food Front Co-op and the former Food Front building:
This is a test.
Annual Member Meeting Dec 6, 2025
Food Front Coop Annual Member Meeting
Dec 6, 2025 1:00 PM
Friendly House, East Room
And online via zoom
Notes
ATTENDING
44 Members (30 in person, 14 online), plus 3 visitors.
WELCOME (Chair Kate Fulton) 1:10PM
Kate welcomed everyone, and provided a summary of progress since the last meeting.
Completed the sale of the building to Properties of the West, a community minded developer who honors the legacy of Food Front Coop.
Went through boxes of paperwork, storing some, shredding a lot and donating significant documents (including Frontline Newsletters) to the Oregon Historical Society.
Done a meticulous financial review, clarified our situation, and taken responsible steps to reduce expenses (more later in the financial report) and avoid foreclosure
In summary, this has been an adventure. We mourn the loss of Food Front, and feel that we have reached a point where we honor the legacy of Food Front and move on.
INTRODUCTION OF INTERIM BOARD MEMBERS AND ELECTION TO PERMANENT
[Note: This at-meeting live election was conducted pursuant to the Board Bylaws, Article IV, Section 6.3 Directors shall be elected by the Owners at the Annual Meeting or at an alternative meeting designated by a majority vote by the Board.]
Everyone on the Board (except Kate) has been serving in an interim capacity. bios were published in advance of, and at, the meeting. Kate introduced each member:
Sue Harrison - VP
Katharine Cahn - Secretary
Raluca McCallum - Treasurer
Aaron Antrim - At large
Karen Jones - At large
Kate moved that the slate be elected, Steve Scherr seconded the motion.
All in favor of this slate: 35 (30 in the room. 5 online). / Opposed: 0 / Abstained: 0,
Motion passed.
FINANCIAL REPORT (Raluca & Kate)
Overall accounting. We have shifted the accounting contract to a firm (Wegner Accounting) who has expertise in Coop Finances and taxation. They did Food Front’s taxes for many years, and will have records of losses which may reduce tax exposure.
We closed the sale at the end of October.
Using those funds we paid off the remaining loan.
Per the sales agreement, we anticipate a final lump sum from Mark … within 17 months.
In addition to paying off the loan, we paid off a number of debts and terminated and paid services that we no longer need, such as utilities, the security fence, etc.
We’ll have a few monthly expenses going forward (amounting to ~ $800 per month)
We have some pending expenses, not monthly, but things like record-keeping, the voting software, some accumulated lawyer fees, CPA expenses, and so forth
We also anticipate some tax liability and property taxes as well as closing costs
A conservative estimate, allowing for a range of possible unknowns as we continue to clear up bills, is that a generous donation will be available at the end of the sale period.
TWO MOTIONS
(will be sent to membership for vote after the meeting.
1. Distribution of Assets.
Motion: The board recommends that all assets available upon dissolution be donated to Friendly House.
Reminder of the decision not to use funds for member dividends.
Kate reminded people that (as shared with members in fall 2024, it is not possible to make membership refunds in any equitable way. This is because membership records are incomplete, in disarray and full of errors.
History leading to recommendation of Friendly House as the recipient of assets. Katharine reviewed the results of a member preference poll taken in fall 2024 offering a range of options for donations (people could vote for one or several).. Out of 432 responses, Friendly House got 74% of the votes. No other options received more than 40%.
Next Steps: The board moves to donate proceeds to Friendly House. This motion will be put to members in a yes/no vote sent via email.
2. Motion to dissolve the corporation upon settling accounts
Oregon state statutes require a member vote to dissolve the cooperative corporation.
Motion: Board recommends dissolution of The Real Good Food Store (DBA:Food Front Coop) upon completion of the sale and final settling of accounts and distribution of assets.
Note/discussion regarding voting process and timing
Food Front Bylaws require at least 200 votes or 2/3rds of members, whichever is less. Oregon Secretary of State statutes on Coops require ⅔ of the votes cast be in favor of the motion to dissolve. So we do need active participation in both votes described above. We will offer a 2 week period and send a reminder. The NW Examiner agreed to post a notice.
Next Steps: This motion will be put to members in a yes/no vote sent via email
MARK AND RACHEL NEW - SHARING PLANS FOR THE BUILDING
Sue introduced Mark and Rachel New – We are so pleased to have sold the building to this company, which has strong local ties, a track record of retail development that benefits the surrounding neighborhood, and an understanding of the legacy values of Food Front.
Mark shared the history of the purchase up to the current moment.
Early days: Mark was initially interested in purchasing the building but passed, not wanting to compete with Market of Choice, a local colleague. After throwing his hat in the ring again (when Market of Choice’s interest was uncertain) members still selected Market of Choice. After Market of Choice later pulled out, the Board re-approached Mark. He thought hard, given the many reverses of past contact, but finally moved forward with a letter of intent.
Due diligence period: Mark asked many favors of his advisors and contractors to help quantify the risks and potential value of the property in a timely way. He noticed the financial difficulties Food Front was in and made every accommodation he could to move the process along.
Upon closing: He moved quickly with contractors to get the building fixed up in time for winter. He noted the internal waterfall gushing from a skylight they found the first day they assumed ownership! They also found out PGE had closed down wiring to half of the building.
Note regarding permitting: He has found the City of Portland Permit Office quick to engage and responsive. Mark called them with a challenge, and they had the planning office call him that afternoon. His architect Greg Schultz grew up near here and has good relationships with the planning bureau, which has been helpful.
Finding a tenant (s). Mark has talked to “a ton of” retailers… especially the younger business people who are energized and believe in Portland, similar to the demographic who was key to the turnaround of Detroit, another creative city on the rebound.
He didn’t have a tenant to announce yet, but read an email from one looking seriously at renting the space. Excerpts from the email: “We can’t replace what was lost, but hope to offer a continuation of the spirit that Food Front represents. Ideas: a restaurant that would serve as a gathering place to follow the rhythm of the day, offering breakfast/coffee, lunch, a drink, or dinner close to home. A place to buy basic groceries and prepared foods and beverages. As much as possible use local purveyors. Warm, bright, easy to settle into. A neighborhood spot, not a fancy destination restaurant. Comfort, quality and genuine hospitality delivered consistently and without a lot of fuss. Listening, adapting, and engaging the community as we grow.” The potential tenant doesn’t yet want to be known, while things get worked out.
Q & A from members:
Is there any vision for meeting with other owners on Thurman? Yes, Mark has met with every neighboring business and they are working together.
Q & A about the library building? They are keeping our eye on this.
What are the next steps? We will keep reaching out to potential partners until we have found a tenant (s)
Does your company have an interest in [?6 + 1? … some residential business]. No, we have no intention of building a residential property. We are retail people.
CLOSING COMMENTS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Board acknowledges Stoel Rives who offered pro bono legal services. This was such a benefit, as legal fees were one of the significant past expenses.
“You guys are a blessing”.
“Thank you for your vigilance”
Meeting adjourned 1:57 PM
New Owner
The Food Front building is now owned by Mark New of Development Company of the West.
It is so refreshing to see the hive of activity in the parking lot as Mark and Rachel's team is bringing the building back to life and ready to let. They are looking for either one main tenant, or two with a smaller store or restaurant space where the deli and meat counters used to be. This is a unique opportunity to join a thriving hub of restaurants, independent stores, and coffee shops in one of Portland's most walkable communities. And a bus stop is virtually outside the store!
If you are interested in talking to Mark and taking a tour of the building, please email him at mark@n-nres.com
Things Are Changing Down on Thurman Street
The Food Front building is now owned by Mark New of Development Company of the West, Property Services.
It is so refreshing to see the hive of activity in the parking lot as Mark and Rachel's team is bringing the building back to life and ready to let. They are looking for either one main tenant, or two with a smaller store or restaurant space where the deli and meat counters used to be. This is a unique opportunity to join a thriving hub of restaurants, independent stores, and coffee shops in one of Portland's most walkable communities. And a bus stop is virtually outside the store!
If you are interested in talking to Mark and taking a tour of the building, please email him at mark@n-nres.com
Member Meeting
Food Front's annual member meeting will be held in person on Saturday, December 6th, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Friendly House, 1737 NW 26th Avenue. Zoom access is planned for those needing to attend remotely.
This meeting will include a brief update from the Board before Mark and Rachel New present their plans.
We extend a special thank you to our friends at Friendly House for waiving the meeting room fee.
Full details and an agenda will be shared closer to the date.
Next Steps
- Support Mark and Rachel New in their work to lease the building.
- Sometime in early 2027, or as soon as construction is permitted, members will vote on two issues:
- To dissolve the Food Front Co-op.
- To confirm which local non-profit will receive any proceeds from the sale.
Then our work is done.