The outside of the MI Mercado.
The outside of the MI Mercado.

By Joseph Jarosz
Northeast News
February 13, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – In an area with a Hispanic population of about 20,000, a Hispanic style grocery store should have thrived. However, the store couldn’t even last six months.

Mi Mercado, a Hispanic grocery store located at 3719 Independence Ave., is scheduled to close its door on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Owned by Cosentino’s Food Stores, the store was transformed from the previously titled Apple Market on Aug. 17, 2013, into a full-line Hispanic grocery store.

According to a press release from Mark Winslow, of Cosentino’s Food Stores, the Hispanic grocery store will merge its “unique products” with the Price Chopper store, located at 5800 Wilson Road.

According to a source, though, the Hispanic grocery store will close because it wasn’t making enough money to continue business. In two weeks, the building will be listed by a local realtor, with the hopes that a new tenant can be found.

“The recently renovated space will be an opportunity for someone to come into the community and provide more services and product that our residence and businesses need,” the source said. “The Cosentino’s are not leaving the community. They are going to increase the product line at Price Chopper and look for a viable use for the Mi Mercado location.”

In an August 21 story in the Northeast News, the building where Mi Mercado is located went through about three weeks of remodeling before re-opening; including installation of new flooring and displays, vibrant artwork on the walls and a picnic style seating area.

“By merging the two stores’ operations, the Cosentino family believes they can better serve [its] customers,” Winslow said in the release. He added all employees from the Mi Mercado location have been offered a position at other Cosentino’s Food Stores in the Kansas City Area.

Also in the release, John Cosentino, vice president of Cosentino’s Food Stores thanked the store’s loyal customers “for their patronage” and looks forward to continuing serving the area at the Price Chopper location.