Exterior of the Belfast Community Co-op with yellow chairs and tables outside, large windows, and a rainbow flag visible on the right.

Our Work/Commercial/Belfast Food Co-op

Belfast Food Co-op

A woman sits at an outdoor table with a laptop at a brick café with large windows and yellow chairs; cars are parked nearby and trees surround the area.

Refrigerated dairy section in a grocery store with shelves stocked with milk, cheese, and other dairy products behind glass doors.

A bakery café with a pastry display case, a curved wooden counter, hanging menus, coffee dispensers, and a modern, well-lit interior.

A bright café with yellow chairs, wooden tables, and large windows. Several people are eating, reading, or talking. Pom-pom decorations hang in the window. Sunlight fills the room.

Four older adults sit at a table with yellow chairs in a bright, modern café with large windows and wooden ceiling slats. Sunlight streams in through the glass doors.

A woman stands at a café counter while people sit at tables near large windows with colorful decorations and sunlight streaming in.

A person walks in front of Belfast Community Co-op, with stacked bags, parked cars, and yellow outdoor seating visible on a sunny day.

Design Team

Woodhull

Build Team

Warren Construction, Inc.

Location

Belfast, ME

Photography

Trent Bell Photography

Services

Architecture

A community cornerstone

Woodhull began working with the Belfast Co-op in 2019, partnering with a longtime, deeply rooted community store. Since the 1960s, the Co-op has been more than a place to shop; it’s a gathering place where the town can trust they are well taken care of. Initially, the client envisioned a multi-story, mixed-use building that could bring needed housing to the area. While it was an exciting idea, careful cost studies revealed that the scale of the project went beyond the established financial parameters for this development.

Leading with communication

Working with the Co-op’s board, leadership, and Warren Construction Group, the focus shifted toward a more pragmatic design. The focus would be on improving, reorganizing, and extending the life of the existing 1964 building. Budget constraints and the reality of operating a fully active grocery store during construction required a highly collaborative process, constant dialogue, and creative problem-solving every step of the way.

Efficient design

With guidance from national co-op planning consultants, the interior layout was renovated to improve efficiency, eliminate underutilized space, and better support daily operations. Basement areas and loading zones were reconfigured to maximize functionality, while the addition of curbside pickup helped alleviate the need for more floor space. Outside, updates included a more welcoming entry, new seating areas, added landscaping, and a brick-matched addition.

Persistence meets flexibility

Inside, the design balances durability, warmth, and cost-consciousness. Veneer plywood was paired with solid ash details, including a custom Woodhull curved counter and slotted wood ceiling elements, which scale down the space and create a more comfortable experience. New lighting brightens the space while carefully integrated ceiling systems help conceal mechanical infrastructure. Built through the challenges of COVID, the project required flexibility, trust, and persistence from all teams involved. The result is a refreshed Belfast Co-op, positioned to serve its community for generations to come.