Honey Bee Market La Colmena renovates original storefront

The original storefront for Honey Bee Market La Colmena in Mexicantown is undergoing a makeover. It’s part of a $75,000 improvement project for the supermarket staple of southwest Detroit.

“We thought it was important to get the old building looking good,” says Ken Koehler, co-owner of Honey Bee Market La Colmena. “The neighborhood deserves it.”

Honey Bee Market La Colmena is the supermarket Detroiters often point to when debunking the Motor City’s food desert myth. The venerable grocery store compares quite well to corporate grocery chain stores, offering a wide variety of items and is housed in a newer, large storefront on Bagley in the shadow of the Michigan Central Station. Honey Bee Market La Colmena upgraded from its original 4,000-square-foot store to its current 15,000-square-foot location adjacent to the original store six years ago.

The original store renovation, which is part of the Southwest Detroit Business Association’s Facade Improvement Program, is installing new windows, doors, adding lighting and a decorative wrought iron sign. Koehler plans to finish the project, and do some painting, later this spring when the weather is more cooperative. He expects to use the old market storefront for storage now and other potential uses down the road.

Source: Ken Koehler, co-owner of Honey Bee Market La Colmena
Writer: Jon Zemke

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