New Edmond grocery focuses on locally grown foods

EDMOND — The days of working out of the back of a truck are over as Urban Agrarian has planted itself in downtown as the newest grocery store. “A lot of places will have token local products,” said coowner Chelsey Simpson. “In Urban Agrarian you will find almost entirely local products.” The nearly 1,000-squarefoot space is filled with mostly Oklahoma-sourced products, along with a deli counter, fresh eggs and milk and even hot apple-filled empanadas. Plans also include expanding the selection to include a meat counter. Located in Vault 405, a coworking space operated by Citizens Bank of Edmond, the store sits on the northeast corner of Main Street and Broadway. “I think people are increasingly interested in buying local food and knowing where their food comes from,” Simpson said. On Nov. 24, Small Business Saturday, Urban Agrarian and Lovera's, an Oklahoma market selling handcrafted Italian foods in Krebs, will partner together to debut a new cheese program.

For the past 10 years, founder Matt Burch has been going to the Edmond Farmer’s Market every Saturday during the season but decided that being in the city all year round would be more beneficial.

“Farmers markets aren’t convenient for everybody; not all farmers and not all consumers,” Simpson said. “We were happy to have a good 10-year run.”

While Urban Agrarian almost closed in 2017, the business was revived by Jill Castilla, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond, after Burch tweeted that he was closing.

“We never thought we could afford downtown Edmond,” Burch said.

Despite the setbacks, Burch said the company is better positioned for future growth and is looking to make Edmond more aware of the local options they have. They still have their store in Oklahoma City.

“The hyperlocalism is just something that speaks to all of us,” Castilla said, who knew a local grocer would fit well in the old corner office.

“We had saved it out of Vault 405 to try to do something special. I love the story of Urban Agrarian.”

The Edmond location is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 8 to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“I hope this is a model for others going forward,” Castilla said.

[PHOTO BY ERIECH TAPIA, THE OKLAHOMAN] Chelsey Simpson, co-owner of Urban Agrarian, stacks produce on the shelves at the new downtown Edmond location.

[PHOTO BY ERIECH TAPIA, THE OKLAHOMAN] Hawkins Peppler, 2, of Edmond, places a winter squash back at Urban Agrarian while his mother shops for groceries.