Honey Bee La Colmena's 7,000-square-foot expansion in Mexicantown almost done

Mexicantown’s Honey Bee Market/La Colmena, located at 18th and Bagley, should have its large expansion finished by the end of June. Construction on the new store space has been going on since November.

The 7,000-square-foot expansion behind the current location will transform the packed 50-year-old market into a modern grocery store, or supermercado. The new space will have more of everything, including a new freezer section and expanded space for the traditional meats prepared on-site, like the beef barbacoa and pork carnitas, as well as the store’s large selection of Mexican food products.

“We have very loyal customers. This is a place where people will pass 20 or 30 stores to come to our store,” says Ken Koehler. He owns the store at 2443 Bagley with his wife, Tammy Alfaro-Koehler, whose grandfather opened the Honey Bee. “We can’t wait for it to be open,” he says of the expansion.

A kitchen is already open with a home-cooked taco lunch special and breakfast burritos to go available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Source: Ken Koehler, Honey Bee La Colmena