MOMA brings groceries to people in downtown Kalamazoo

MOMA brings groceries to people in downtown Kalamazoo By Maggie De Ceuninck

Market on Michigan Ave(MOMA) is an urban micro-grocery store located in downtown Kalamazoo. Store owners Josh and Jess Marunde saw a need for a store like MOMA while walking around after they had recently moved to Kalamazoo. "There was nothing downtown for grocery," said Josh Marunde, "and a week later, we were signing a lease." A majority of the products offered at MOMA are locally sourced from small businesses or farmers. "Quality is the utmost importance to us, and we want the realest product available," said Marunde.

MOMA is located at 119 E. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich. The grand opening took place on Aug. 30, 2019.

Store owners Josh and Jess Marunde live in the apartment directly above MOMA.

MOMA offers a variety of fresh products and produce that are brought in from local farmers, such as Tiny Giant Farm and Lovers Lane Micro Farm.

Madison Workman, a MOMA sales associate, writes the lunch menu for the day to put on display in the window of the store. Lunch is served from from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sales associates can help customers with learning how to cook the products that are offered. They are willing to offer

Prior to opening MOMA, Josh Marunde was a touring musician, and Jess Marunde worked primarily in retail.

MOMA is open on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People that work in downtown Kalamazoo stop at MOMA for their lunch break. Marunde encourages customers to walk or bike to the store.

Customers converse with Workman and Marunde while they order food from the deli. The menu is different each week and is posted on the MOMA facebook page.

Josh Marunde had food experience prior to opening MOMA. He goes behind the counter to help make a signature sandwich for a customer.

Tyrone Fleeman, from Kalamazoo, enjoys food from the hot bar that is served daily at MOMA.

MOMA is located in the building where the historic Orpheum Theater was located before it closed in 1950. Jess Marunde plans to keep the original brick in the basement when they remodel it to be used as an event space.

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