Our History
Mill Street Market began with a simple but bold vision: to create a place where food, education, and entrepreneurship come together to strengthen our community.
What began in 2019 as an idea to improve access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food has grown into something much greater—a community campus designed to support local agriculture, strengthen families, create opportunities for small businesses, and invest in the future of Barry County.
From Idea to Evidence
In 2019, residents gathered at a countywide community summit to share their hopes and priorities for Barry County. Among the needs identified were greater access to healthy food, stronger support for local agriculture, and welcoming spaces where people could gather and connect.
At the same time, Barry Community Foundation and community partners, including B.Healthy Barry County, were exploring ways to improve community health and well-being. Inspired in part by the Blue Zones concept of creating healthier, more connected communities, the idea of a local food hub began to take shape.
The vision was to create a place that would connect local farmers and producers with consumers, expand access to nutritious food, and provide education and entrepreneurial opportunities that would strengthen the local economy.
Turning Vision Into a Plan
To better understand the opportunities and challenges, New Venture Advisors was engaged to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study. Completed in 2022, the study helped validate the concept of a community-centered food hub and provided a foundation for moving the project forward.
Through continued planning and community collaboration, the original concept evolved to include a Farm Stop Market and Cafe, a commercial teaching and incubator kitchen, and a community event center.
The Farm Stop would create a year-round marketplace for locally grown, raised, and produced goods. The commercial kitchen would provide opportunities for culinary education, food entrepreneurship, and business development. The event center would offer space for community gatherings and activities.
Together, these components were intended to strengthen the local food system while creating a welcoming destination for residents and visitors.
Listening, Learning, and Evolving
As planning continued, two new event centers opened in the community. Rather than duplicate existing facilities, project leaders returned to the community to ask an important question: What does our community need most?
The response revealed a significant need for quality, reliable childcare, particularly for infants and young toddlers.
With this new understanding, the vision for Mill Street Market evolved. The proposed event center was replaced with Little Sprouts, a full-day childcare center designed to serve up to 60 children from infancy through preschool.
Recognizing the shortage of care for our youngest children, Mill Street Market made a deliberate commitment to dedicate 24 childcare spaces to children from birth through 30 months of age.
This decision reflects one of the guiding principles behind Mill Street Market: our mission is not simply to build a facility, but to listen to our community and respond to its changing needs.
Childcare also became a natural extension of the campus mission. By supporting working families, introducing children to healthy foods, and creating opportunities for nature-based learning, Little Sprouts would strengthen the connection between food, education, workforce development, and community well-being.
Building an Interconnected Community Campus
After six years of planning, collaboration, research, and community investment, the vision is becoming a reality.
Today, Mill Street Market is an approximately 15,000-square-foot campus, including nearly 11,000 square feet of indoor space and thoughtfully designed outdoor areas.
The campus brings together three interconnected programs:
- The Farm Stop Market & Cafe will provide year-round access to fresh, locally grown and produced foods while creating economic opportunities for farmers and small businesses. The cafe will feature farm-to-table offerings that highlight local ingredients and regional producers.
- The Commercial Teaching & Incubator Kitchen will provide professional equipment, education, mentorship, and business development resources to help food entrepreneurs launch and grow. The kitchen will also support culinary education, workforce development, and the preparation of healthy meals for the childcare center, cafe, and market.
- Little Sprouts Childcare Center will provide full-day care for up to 60 children, emphasizing healthy living, early childhood development, and nature-based learning. Its outdoor playscape will feature green spaces, a greenhouse, and a mud kitchen where children can explore, discover, and grow.
Each part of the campus is designed to strengthen the others. Farmers supply fresh ingredients to the market, cafe, and kitchen. Entrepreneurs gain access to commercial facilities, education, and opportunities to sell their products. The kitchen supports healthy meals for families and children. Little Sprouts helps working parents while introducing the next generation to healthy food, agriculture, and the natural world.
The Story Continues
As the project developed, an organizational structure was established to support both its community mission and long-term sustainability.
Mill Street Opportunity Alliance was formed as a nonprofit organization focused on education, entrepreneurial development, childcare, workforce opportunities, and community well-being.
Mill Street Market Farm Stop and Cafe was established as a mission-driven L3C to operate the retail market and cafe, providing a sustainable marketplace for local farmers and food producers.
Together, these aligned organizations create a model in which nonprofit programming and mission-driven commerce work together to expand opportunity and strengthen the community.
The Story Continues
Mill Street Market's history is a story of listening, collaboration, and a shared commitment to building a stronger community.
What began as a conversation about healthy food has grown into a comprehensive approach to addressing some of the challenges facing rural communities: food access, agricultural sustainability, small-business development, workforce opportunities, and childcare.
Through every stage of development, the vision has remained rooted in the belief that strong communities are built when people have opportunities to learn, grow, connect, and succeed.
Mill Street Market is more than a place to shop, eat, learn, or work. It is a long-term investment in healthier families, stronger local businesses, a more resilient agricultural economy, and a thriving Barry County.
What started as an idea in 2019 is becoming a lasting community asset, shaped by the people it was created to serve.
We're not just building a market. We're growing opportunity for generations to come.