The Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op (TPSS Co-op) is advancing plans to add a second store to its existing location on 201 Ethan Allen Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland. The board of representatives confirmed that expansion planning is underway and that community engagement efforts have begun for the proposed second location, though no specific site has been publicly selected. The co-op currently operates a single full-service natural foods grocery store offering local produce, bulk goods, prepared foods, wellness items, and general groceries under a member owned cooperative model, with democratic governance by a board elected from members. Plans for a second store are framed around extending that model to a broader area while maintaining democratic member involvement in key decisions.
TPSS Co-op leaders and board representatives hosted events in early 2026 to gather member input on the second store concept. An informational session held in January at a Takoma Park community center focused on cooperative principles and the potential role for a second location in reinforcing their presence in the region. Board materials and expansion planning documents identify several factors to guide the project. These include ensuring the new location does not negatively impact the existing store’s services, producing a solid financial forecast that supports long-term viability, choosing a community receptive to the co-op format, and enhancing operational functions such as storage and delivery. The co-op’s decision to pursue expansion follows extensive internal analysis, in part because the current store’s sales per square foot exceed typical industry thresholds that often trigger growth initiatives. Expansion planning is intended to address rising operating costs while preserving competitive pricing and managing customer traffic in the existing store.
Planning documents outline a multi-phase timeline that began with market area study in 2022 and progressed through feasibility, consultant engagement, and member forums through 2025 and into 2026. A capital campaign is slated for spring 2026 to support the project’s next stages, including site identification and initial build out planning. If developed, the second store would function as an additional retail space under the TPSS Co-op governance structure, providing another point of access for groceries and locally produced foods within the broader Takoma Park suburbs. Daily operations, membership governance, and community outreach at the existing location would continue independent of second store development decisions.
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