A Market Grows in Downtown Pontiac

There are those who spend years grappling over chicken-and-egg community development issues, and there are those who stop philosophizing and jump in with ideas. Lucky for downtown Pontiac, Kyle Westberg and his West Construction partners Brent Westberg and Jack Burket are the latter. 

 

"We looked at demographic studies on urban living," says Westberg, West Construction President and CEO. "It's often hard to see what comes first, the rooftops or the amenities. We have a good residential segment surrounding the downtown, so when we looked at the growing downtown core, we decided now would be the time to bring in the amenities." 

 

Though the 46-unit Lafayette Place Lofts garnered much of the attention over West Construction's recent $20 million renovation of Pontiac's historic Sears, Roebuck & Company Department Store building, the 10,000 square foot Lafayette Market was no afterthought plugged into the ground floor. 

 

"We were acutely aware of how few grocery stores offer a healthy option for the residents in the town," Westberg says. "We were also aware of the issues with childhood obesity. We thought the market could be an opportunity for residents to have that healthy option." 

 

That means access to truly fresh foods. Westberg is especially proud of the market's deli department, which includes a full-service meat and fish counter offering the healthiest products they could find, and employing two full time butchers to process the meat on site. 

 

For Westberg, the market and café within it are an opportunity to use healthy food to create a healthy community. That means outreach is built into the business concept. Though Lafayette Market only opened in mid-December, they've already partnered with local churches and schools, helping with fundraisers, hosting tours of the business and giving kids lessons on healthy eating. 

 

"Part of our mission is outreach to the community," says Westberg. "Our goal is to get to profitability as fast as possible, so we can do more."

 

Of course, employment is an essential part of a healthy community, and the market has created those as well. Westberg worked with the employment assistance program Community Ventures to help grow his staff to more than 30 employees.

 

"Most of our employees are from Pontiac," Westberg says. "You can go into our market and see the smiles. People have a passion to be at work. It's spectacular."

 

Averaging about 1,000 shoppers per day in its first few months, the Lafayette Market concept seems to be catching. Though Lafayette Place Loft residents are a part of the mix, Westberg says they were never targeted to be the only patrons. From downtown employees to area residents, the goal of the market is to service the entire community in need of resource for healthy food. 

 

What's more, Westberg believes his bigger-picture thinking for downtown Pontiac is just beginning to take hold.

 

"It's been what we hoped it would be," he says. "Last summer, maybe 12 building owners put money into their buildings. Now, the foot traffic is starting to pick up. Last year, there were half a dozen properties purchased, and the price point is starting to ascend." 

 

Along with the downtown that is its new home, Lafayette Market will continue to grow and evolve. Though still rooted to the building's history with its 1929 maple flooring and classic storefront windows, Westberg plans for his market to play an active role in Pontiac's future, with plans to offer services such as grocery delivery for shut-ins, more outreach services, and continue to attract a growing number of shoppers and café patrons to the city. 

 

"When we looked at our development, we wanted it to be a place where people don't just come and shop, but also hang out," Westberg says. "We want people to be comfortable to come [to Pontiac.] By setting the stage for people to start doing that, we hope it will be a catalyst."

Natalie Burg is a freelance writer, the news editor for Concentrate and Capital Gains, and a regular contributor to Metromode.

All Photos by David Lewinski Photography