The past year was full of renovations and new happenings at Core Goods, a local food market located at 2 East First Street in Oil City. The store has been in their current location for two years and in business for six years. Between opening their new Community Space, hosting classes, adding new products and getting out in the community, the business had quite the busy year.
Renovations
Much of 2024 at Core Goods was spent on building renovations. The retail store at 2 East First Street has been open since they moved to their location in 2022, but the attached storefront at 6 East First Street, also occupied by Core Goods, had sat empty. The business received a grant in June of 2024 through Main Street America and American Express which was used to transform the empty storefront into what is now their Community Space.
All summer, Core Goods owner Ashley Sheffer and husband Zack, along with many local businesses, family members and friends, made updates to the space–replacing the floor and ceiling tiles, painting, exposing a brick wall, building a sliding barn door, adding new furniture and more. The Community Space officially opened at the end of September and is used for Core Goods’ own events and classes, available to rent for private events and open for customers to use during the store’s open hours.
Besides the Community Space renovations, Core Goods replaced the floor in their commercial kitchen, located in the back of 6 East First Street, which they continue to update with a goal to make it a shared-use kitchen in the future.
Events and classes
The list of events Core Goods attended or hosted in 2024 is long. In their new Community Space, they had an Open House for the space, a Sourdough Starter Workshop, Holiday Vendor Pop-Up, Wreath Workshop, and hosted the Bridge Literacy Arts Center for Artists Sunday.
They are working on their schedule of classes for 2025, which will focus on educating community members on topics related to local food and sustainability. While many of these classes have a fee, free tickets are available to those who need them. Core Goods invites community members to give towards these free tickets through a sponsorship program, with a goal to make fresh food and cooking accessible to all.
Also in 2024, the business had a Seed Starting Workshop, Spring Vendor Pop-Up, and two Farm Pop-Ups with Baytree Farm. In addition, Core Goods set up during the Oil Heritage Festival Touch-A-Truck, hosted two vendors for the Oil City Uncorked wine and beer walk and participated in Small Business Saturday.
They didn’t only have events in their own space; Core Goods was found throughout the community at various events or presentations. Sheffer attended the PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Lancaster, and presented to a Girl Scout Troop in Cooperstown, as well as a group of community members at a “Thrive Thursday” event in Clarion. The business also set up at both the Saint Elizabeth Center Women’s Wellness Event and the Baytree Farm Fall Festival.
Core Goods values the work local farms and other food businesses do and tries to visit them as much as possible. Their team took a field trip to Edinboro, where they toured Live & Learn Farms, Lakeside Bagels & Deli, Full Moon Mushrooms and Edinboro Market. They also took a separate trip to Harrisville, where they visited Harmony Grove Farm, a hydroponics farm that supplies the store with fresh lettuce and other greens.
Connecting with others in the local food system is also a priority of Core Goods. Sheffer is often building relationships with and visiting other markets, some as far as New York City and Harrisburg.
Private events and catering
Besides their own events, Core Goods is excited to have the opportunity to rent their Community Space out for private events. At the end of 2024, they were the location of the meeting for Focus On Our Future (FOOF), a group of human service representatives spearheaded by Venango County United Way. They also hosted a birthday party and have several events on their calendar, including a baby shower.
The business has started to explore more catering offerings, too. They welcome orders for catering pick-ups, like charcuterie or vegetable trays, and also will travel to locations to cater events, such as the Oil Region Alliance Annual Meeting breakfast. All their catering options feature food made from scratch with locally-grown or sourced ingredients.
Community collaborations
Core Goods could not do what they do without the support of fellow businesses. Whether it’s working with Woods & River Coffee to help each other source local ingredients, holding a giveaway with Friedhabers or sharing and receiving advice from Baked Goods From Heaven, Core Goods has appreciated the support of peers in the small business community.
It goes further than their neighboring businesses, though. For example, Core Goods had the opportunity to help source local foods for a Farm to Table Cheers Night at Bella Cucina in Franklin, had a local Girl Scout Troop sell cookies outside and was a CSA drop-off for a small farm.
Core Goods also works closely and collaborates with two neighboring markets–the Edinboro Market and Meadville Market House. The three markets, along with farm partners, have a route between them each week, distributing local foods between the three counties.
Local products
Although the year was full of events, classes and catering, Core Goods continues to grow their retail store. In about 1,000 square feet, they sell products from 50+ farms and other food businesses throughout the region. Some products come from as close as Oil City and Rockland, with others sourced further from Pittsburgh or Cleveland. This includes produce, dried goods, dairy, snacks, jarred goods, meat and baked goods.
Product availability changes depending on the season because they are from local farms. This means the produce shelves in summer might be full of snap peas, zucchini, tomatoes and watermelon, but then in the fall customers will find radishes, winter squash, apples and potatoes.
Core Goods also takes ingredients from their store and uses them in prepared foods, cooked by their team in their kitchen. Each week, they have different options of hummus, soup, mini quiche, snack packs and salads.
In 2024, they added a cash discount at the register — 2% off for customers using cash — and the store also accepts SNAP benefits.
Plans for the new year
A schedule full of classes and events is planned for 2025, along with continued growth in the retail space, added catering options and updates to their commercial kitchen.
At the end of 2024, it was also announced that Core Goods will be recognized as Business of the Year at the Venango Area Chamber’s Annual Dinner on February 19.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since we opened and two years in our new space. While 2024 posed some challenges, it also brought so many opportunities and exciting changes,” said Ashley Sheffer, Core Goods owner. “We’re looking forward to a new year and we can’t thank our community enough for their continued support.”
Learn more about Core Goods at core-goods.com, find them on social media, and visit the store at 2 East First Street in Oil City.
