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By Ken Wyatt
It had been a year since last visiting with Kent and Angie Tyler at their Concord village project. The other morning Kent was hard at work cutting bricks in front of the old grocery store that is the focus of their work.
So, what is the status of the project? Kent’s answer was to give an inside-outside quick tour and update. If all goes well, the building could be opening this fall, he said.
A quick review of the project and its history:
Shannon’s Food Market operated for more than half a century in Concord. The building is located at the corner of N. Main and Hanover streets. Edwin Shannon purchased the building in 1959. It was later augmented with purchase of an adjacent building that had housed the Concord News.
About 12 years ago the store was closed. For several years it was owned by a Detroit developer, who had plans to redevelop and sell it. However, no significant work was done beyond maintenance and payment of taxes. Finally, he put it up for sale.
The Tylers, who own a construction company, purchased it with plans to reopen it as a store. Kent and a crew have been doing most of the work. Angie has the vision for the building, and she has been doing some of the hands-on work as well.
She explained her vision last year as follows: “I figure it is a work in progress. As it evolves, I would like it to become a space for cottage industries – things you might find at a farmer’s market. I have a friend who raises bees. So, I can see it becoming like an antique store, but smaller, with products like honey, muffins and bagels, all Michigan products.”
Her husband said that over the months since then, people sometimes observe that so little seems to have been done. In fact, much has been taking place – both inside and outside.
We walked along the front of the Main Street frontage and Kent pointed out a recessed door. “That one came from a place in northern Wisconsin,” he explained. And that was typical of his comments about the many doors that had either been placed already in the outer walls, or await placement inside the building.
One of the doors – with lovely stained glass insets – came from Netherlands, he said. And he knows something of the history and location of all the doors.
Flooring inside the building is still a work in progress. He pointed out a stack of lumber – about 4,000 square feet – that will be used for flooring.
One construction feature of the project is the need for some ceiling beams. They could not find beams cut to the same size as the ones he needs. So Angie is resizing them herself.
When Kent paused to provide the tour, he had been cutting bricks. Those are being fitted for use inside the front entrance.
It is proving to be an expensive project. While he did not want to hazard an estimate of the final project cost, he did say that the previous developer had been told by state officials that redeveloping the building would be a $1 million project. And he acknowledged that’s consistent with his experience.
Some local people have wondered why the Tylers have put up their property across the intersection for sale. Originally, they had thought it could be used for their offices, but that was never set in stone, Kent explained. It remains a property that may or may not sell, and their options for use of it remain an open question.
As for the upper story of the old grocery building, it will be developed into either four or five apartments.
That’s exciting news for Concord and the people who do not live there anymore. Grew up in Concord – was a great little town to live. Shannon’s was a very big part of my life. Best of luck to the Tylers- looking forward to seeing it!