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Cantwell's site may house community grocer By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - Ashland Community Food Store may buy the former Cantwell's Market site rather than expand its current location. The buildings are just one block from each other. Owners of the building that formerly housed Cantwell's proposed a sale offer to ACFS earlier this week after a prospective leaseholder was unable to get financing. ACFS' board will decide whether to explore the option further when it meets at the store at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Cantwell's closed in May at the same time ACFS was planning to expand. ACFS looked at the site, but rejected it in part because only a lease was available at that time. The owners are now offering a deferred sale. ACFS is at 237 N. First St., and the Cantwell's site is at 310 Oak St. "We decided to take another look at it before we break ground," said Colleen Hansen, ACFS general manager. "We certainly have not stopped the process ... on our existing plan." A mid-November groundbreaking is planned for expansion at ACFS. Hansen said ACFS would not operate at both locations, adding that the Oak Street building's larger size would be an advantage. With expansion, ACFS' building would total about 18,000 square feet. The Oak Street site has 24,000 square feet. Cantwell's used 21,000 square feet. ACFS currently leases 800 square feet there for its expanded meat department operation. Two small businesses also operate in the building. The building is owned by a trust established by Silvia Thompson of Medford and administered by her son Brent Thompson, a former Ashland councilman. Silvia Thompson had wanted to lease it, but would agree to a deferred sale that would be completed no later than 2008, said Brent Thompson. "The fellow who wanted to take it over has had a hard time getting Small Business Administration financing," said Brent Thompson. Jeff Pygott of Lynden, Wash., could not secure loans through two banks, according to Thompson. Pygott reportedly wanted to reopen the store as a specialty market similar to Cantwell's. Renovation work and repairs are nearly complete, said Thompson. The work, about $100,000 worth, started after Cantwell's closed. The trust purchased the building in 1996 from Tom Cantwell and his partners. Proceeds from the sale were used to finance Cantwell's failed expansion effort in Medford, according to Thompson. By 1998 there were two Cantwell's Markets in Medford, and they closed by the end of that year. "If it doesn't work out with the co-op, we will look for another major tenant," said Thompson. "I'm sure we will analyze his offer and see if it meets our criteria," said ACFS Board President Diane Taudvin. Taudvin noted that the former Cantwell's building is old and needs extensive renovations to meet ACFS requirements. Additions at ACFS' current site are estimated to cost up to $1 million. "The size and location are attractive, but our current site has a lot of advantages as well," said Taudvin. "We have more parking, which is a critical factor when you try to pack those shoppers in." "We've never stopped our expansion process, even when we looked at (the other site) before," Taudvin said. "We will probably either decide (Thursday) to look into it in more depth or find out if we aren't interested." Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.