ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — A grocery store in Ann Arbor is changing the way we think about food by focusing exclusively on local items and giving farmers a significant financial boost.
Argus Farm Stop, which opened in 2014, now operates three locations in Ann Arbor, including two markets and a cafe.
See Jolie Sherman's full story on Argus Farm Stop in the video below
The store's mission is to support farmers throughout Michigan by providing them with a much larger percentage of sales than traditional grocery stores.
"We are a year-round, everyday farmers market. We exist to help farmers, producers, and growers here locally have a spot to sell their stuff 7 days a week," said Laura Matney, general manager of Argus Farm Stop.
Nearly everything on the shelves, the vegetables, eggs, meat, and even items like flowers, beer and coffee beans, was made or grown in Michigan.
"The food isn't traveling long distances, you know where it comes from. You get to know your local farmer, and it's quality, frankly. That's it as well," said Michael Metzger, an Ann Arbor resident.
Signs around the store remind shoppers where their money is going, highlighting a key difference in their business model.
"In a traditional grocery store, farmers on average are getting maybe 15 cents on the dollar, and so we really are trying to flip that paradigm," said Matney.
Farmers who sell at Argus Farm Stop set their own prices and make 70% of the sale, while the store keeps the other 30%.
"The way this works for us is there's no middle distribution piece. The farmers pull right up to our store. Our goal is not to exist to make a bunch of profit. Our goal is really to exist a little over break even and send the money back to farmers, growers, producers, staff, and keep the lights on," said Matney.
The store has grown from supporting 40 local producers to over 300 since opening in 2014. One of those producers is Green Things Farm Collective located in Ann Arbor and known for their vegetables, flowers, and beef cattle.
"When you're farming alone or just with a really small team, you don't often feel like you have the time to be going and selling at the farmers market or doing your own marketing and advertising," said Hannah Weber, farmer at Green Things Farm Collective.
But with Argus Farm Stop, Green Things Farm Collective has been able to reach more customers, earning $115,000 in 2024 alone.
"I always say, come to us first. The impact of buying a couple of onions, a potato, a cup of coffee here, is going to make such an impact in your local food community," said Matney.
Customers say when they shop at Argus Farm Stop, they feel like they're making a difference.
"It feels like the future is local, hyperlocal, and so if we can support the people who are dedicating their lives to create good produce, that's the way to do it," said Emily Royce from Ypsilanti.
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