A use for the former Rite Aid building in Bridgman has been found.

The Greater Bridgman Area Chamber and Growth Alliance has been working with the owner of the vacant building at 3677 West Shawnee Road in Lake Township to develop a fresh produce market and business incubator at the site. Bridgman CGA Director Nancy Kiernan told us more.

“We are looking at creating a marketplace that is a very popular format these days, kind of that farm to table experience, and we’re really also looking at growing our own small value-added agribusinesses,” Kiernan said. “So within that facility will likely be an incubator kitchen as well, a commercial kitchen that is an incubator for some of our cottage industry food entrepreneurs out there.”

Kiernan said the closure of the Rite Aid this year left a gaping hole in the community right at a crossroads that marks the line between Bridgman and Lake Township. She’s been working with the owner of the building, who is in favor of the concept.

“The owner is all in. The owner is somebody who really has been a community person since she was a young person and wants to see this facility become a vibrant and again, an important destination for the community. So she’s all in.”

The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber says the building’s owner has turned down other offers for the site because she’s local and wants to see it put to good use.

Kiernan says the CGA is now attending classes, visiting other communities with similar markets, and seeking grants to move the incubator project forward.