This month marks a milestone for Core Goods and Woods & River Coffee, two businesses located on the Southside in Oil City. On November 19, 2022, both opened their doors– Core Goods at their new location and Woods & River for their grand opening.

Woods & River, owned by Erin Wanninger and Marcy Hall, is located at 2 West Front Street and was transformed into a trail friendly coffee shop. Not only do they sell coffee, but they feature a variety of drinks and foods made with locally sourced ingredients. Since opening, they have added a patio, hired more than 15 employees, and become a staple in the community. They also run an Airbnb in the apartment above the shop, drawing visitors and providing a unique lodging experience.

“We are amazed at the response the community has had to our business,” said Erin. “We are busier than we ever could have imagined and excited to continue growing here.”

Core Goods, owned by Ashley Sheffer, is a local food and low waste market previously located on Seneca Street in Oil City, and began moving to their new space on East First Street last summer. Building owner Bob Kellner connected two store fronts, then the Core Goods team spent months renovating. They opened the first side, 2 East First Street, as their retail space where they sell fresh food products from 50+ local farms and businesses. The second side is the next step, where they plan to have a “Community Gathering Space,” to host their own events and rent out for meetings and private events.

Not only are Woods & River and Core Goods neighbors and friends, but they work closely to source local foods and help each other succeed. Many of the ingredients used in Woods & River menu items can also be purchased at Core Goods, such as vegetables, milk, and baked goods, and they help each other out if one of them is out of stock. Weekly, the two businesses, along with Franklin-based shop Iron Furnace Coffee, take turns driving to Edinboro to pick up fresh bagels for all three businesses. These are just a couple examples of how these small businesses are cooperating.

“Our sales have more than doubled since we’ve moved to our new space,” said Ashley. “While there are many reasons for this, such as location and more options on our shelves, we credit a lot of it to the support we’ve had from other nearby businesses.”

We love to see local businesses working together.

Congratulations to Woods & River Coffee and Core Goods for celebrating one year!

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s November 2023 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.