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Connecting Neighbors with Momo's Market

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In this episode of Common Roots, we’re joined by Erin Malone, founder of Momo’s Market. Located in Burlington, Vermont, Momo’s is a bustling community hub carrying locally sourced, convenient, and healthy natural foods. Owner Erin Malone began her journey as a business owner after her mother passed away from cancer in 2012. What started as a need to apply the knowledge she gained through her MBA in Community and Regional Planning took shape when she purchased the building that would eventually become Momo’s Market, formerly called Willard Street Market.

“I was attracted to the everydayness of a corner store. I wanted to bring big ideas to life to drive community connections,” Erin says, “so, with the small amount of money I got from my mom, I was able to buy the building. I decided to name it Momo’s Market to honor her and, in a way, keep her alive.”

Momo's Market Exterior

Momo’s Market has certainly honored the original intentions behind its founding. Neighborhood connections are at the core of Momo’s operations, and all its employees live within a walkable or bikeable distance.

“When we hire, we like to hire folks that shop at Momo’s and live in the vicinity,” she says, “it reduces tardiness and reduces the amount of people who need to park on site so there’s definitely a business case for it.”

Beyond the practical benefits of hiring close to home, Malone says that it also upholds the market’s goal of fostering neighborhood connections. “When I think about what Momo’s is at its core, it’s all about connecting neighbors. You might run into someone you know from class or your kids’ teacher… people choose Momo’s because of a feeling.”

Malone credits this philosophy not only for the thriving community she’s been able to build through Momo’s, but also for much of her business growth. Since it was founded in 2015, Momo’s Market has more than doubled sales. “I realized that focusing on creating connections between people is the reason I’m here… instead of ‘how do I sell the most of X’ or ‘how do I pay people the least amount as possible,’ my business has become so much more than selling product.”

Part of this growth Malone attributes to INFRA. After hearing about INFRA at an industry event, Malone was excited to gain access to more competitively priced products through the National Supply Agreement. But, more than that, Malone says that “it has completely changed how I think about my product strategy, my pricing strategy, and also value that I bring to my neighborhood.”

Erin is excited to bring this spirit of collaboration to all her business partnerships, especially when it comes to the natural foods industry. “What is so compelling about the natural foods industry is the baseline of shared values that makes business more fun,” she says, “we’re all jumping off of the same springboard and it feels like a breath of fresh air.”