IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) - Organizers for the new SunCoast Market Co-op grocery store in Imperial Beach say they're now just months away from bringing a fresh, healthy option to shoppers in the South Bay.
A recent $250,000 grant from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors jump-started their final fundraising push. Organizers say they only need another $350,000 to cover initial start up costs like inventory and payroll.
"As soon as we can raise that money we can announce our opening date," says Board President Kim Frink. "We were hoping for late summer, but now we're looking at the fall."
To raise the rest of the money, the co-op is on an aggressive fundraising push. They have a GoFundMe page for people to make direct donations. They're also encouraging community members to become co-owners of the co-op or make donations directly to their nonprofit, the SunCoast Community Fund.
Frink says they've also launched the 1K Club, asking 100 people to donate or raise $1,000 each. They already have $41,000 through that effort.
"It's very exciting. We're making progress and getting close after 9 years of community organizing," Frink says.
ABC 10News anchor Jared Aarons has been following the progress of SunCoast since March 2023 when fundraising began. At the time, they hoped to raise more than $5 million.
In August 2023, Rivero-Frink and her team worried they may not meet their fund-raising goal. ABC 10News was there as they pushed forward with community outreach programs like cooking classes, farmer's market booths, and more.
In October 2024, they secured the lease on a space in a strip mall in IB. They also scaled down the project as they began construction.
Frink says general construction should wrap up by the end of July. They have already taken delivery of several coolers and other equipment, including the salad bar.
"We're going to source from 150 local vendors and farmers," Frink says. "Really we want it to be a community hub. Co-Ops always feel very welcoming, very neighborly. It's our neighborhood store. We're really excited to be so close now."
