How did you meet Don and Georganne?

I met them at a Pearl District Neighborhood Association livability committee meeting. I was so thrilled to hear about the nature of their business and what they’re trying to do in the community. Everyone’s very excited about it. We are so glad to have a market like Local Choice in our neighborhood.

What are you most looking forward to about Local Choice Produce Market?

I like its mission—local. The Pearl District is a neighborhood that loves to buy local, whether it’s a little clothing shop for children or fashion boutiques. I like the quality of the products they’re going to offer and that it’s really a full-service market: You can get produce but also fish, poultry, and they’ll have the coffee and smoothie bar and deli. How handy is that? It’s right in the heart of the Pearl. And they stuck with the mission and hired local. The whole concept, I just love it.

Will you be able to walk there?

You bet. I’ll be there every day.

What are the unique advantages of having the new market in the neighborhood?

Until now we’ve had very few choices. We have a population of about 6,000 in the Pearl. We have Safeway that came in a couple of years ago at the north end, and we have Whole Foods on the south end and just one little convenience market in between, with potato chips and soda. So we really haven’t had the options that Local Choice is going to bring to the neighborhood.

My guess is that it’s going to become a really pleasant gathering place as well as a market where you have takeaway product. I think it’s going to be a real neighborhood spot, with a terrific seating area inside and outdoor dining in the spring, which everybody in the Pearl loves. It’s going to be energizing, it’s going to put more people on the street in that area than we’ve had in the past. Local Choice is an improvement to the community and I think it’s great!