Avondale's Country Meat Co.

Written By: Zion Henderson

Country Meat Co. Market Place, a grocery store in Avondale. Tennel and Chanel Bryant had always planned to get into the grocery business and now that dream has materialized with the opening of their grocery store in the redeveloped Avondale Town Center.

The redeveloped Avondale Town Center on Reading Road has 15,000 square feet set aside for a grocery store option

The Bryants will split the space with the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio's Center for Social Justice

They hope the store, to be called The Country Meat Company Marketplace, will open later this year It finally means Avondale will no longer be a food desert

“There are not many places for them to get fresh food, fresh produce, or fresh meat," said Bryant in the couple's first interview about the new venture. "So, we felt like that was the best location in the city to put our next venture.”

“We want to break that cycle, where people have the choice to have a choice of fresh meat, choice of fresh produce,” added Chanel Bryant.

She said she wears multiple hats with their family business, including vice president of operations.

Construction inside the store has begun. The city of Cincinnati approved allocating $500,000 for tenant improvements to the dedicated space within the Avondale Town Center. They also anticipate hiring around 30 employees to work at the store.

In addition to fresh meats, produce, and dairy, the couple plans to include extra amenities like wine tastings and prepared meals to go

“Everything will be local," Chanel Bryant said "Like normal, we’ll go from the Tristate area Definitely will have some new up-and-coming entrepreneurs that want to get a shot in the grocery store We’ll also give them a shot in showcasing their items as well "

Community leaders see the store as becoming an anchor in the neighborhood and the spark to more development