The Mustard Seed Co-operative Grocery & Cafe

This project included renovating an existing 4,000ft2 building into a grocery store for Hamilton’s co-operative grocery store, The Mustard Seed. The project included new cladding made of salvaged lumber, a teaching kitchen, a coffee counter, washroom upgrades, all new shelving and refrigeration equipment, office space, new energy-efficient lighting, and electrical and mechanical upgrades. The main goal of the design was to create a welcoming atmosphere with good retail flow that aligned with the co-op’s value of connecting people with their food producers.

The designs were detailed to permit much of the work to be performed by the Co-op’s membership through work-bees. This included accommodating owner-supplied materials, such as salvaged lumber and other equipment. Another priority was locally sourced and energy efficient materials, such as locally-manufactured linear pendant lights and LED track lighting. Aesthetic elements included wall quotes from local food movement leaders, barn doors, and large-format farmer photos.