After moving to their new location at 2 East First Street in Oil City in November, Core Goods has continued to expand and add new products and events.

In February, Owner Ashley Sheffer spoke at the PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Lancaster with the Edinboro Market, Meadville Market House, and Fat Hawk Farm. The group spoke about their project to better distribute local food in NWPA, which is being funded by a grant received in 2022 through the Reinvestment Fund and USDA.

Core Goods then hosted some events in their new space– a coffee tasting with Iron Furnace Coffee of Franklin, and a Vendor Pop-Up Event, where several local businesses set up around the store to sell their specialty products, like art, candles, plants, and soap.

A new freezer was added to the store in mid-March, and is starting to fill with locally-raised meat. Core Goods has plans to add ice cream, salmon, pasta, and more to the freezer.

The most recent excitement at the store is the option for customers to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Through the USDA, this program provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency.

Core Goods has many plans to continue their efforts in our community. They will begin renovating the second side of their new location this year, which will become a “Community Gathering Space” for classes, meetings, and events.

Find updates from the store on their Facebook (@coregoods), or Instagram (@core.goods), or website (core-goods.com).

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