Convenient Mart closes doors

Oberlin's Convenient Mart closed last month when its rental agreement expired. Its closing also ended the six-month search of the Oberlin Community Service Council for a new home.

Although the evicted tenant of Convenient Mart is having difficulty relocating, the Community Service Council was presented with the opportunity to relocate quickly.

According to Convienient Mart Building Manager Larry Funk, there was no need to renew the agreement because "they were not in a good competitive position in Oberlin."

The building is currently undergoing renovation in order to accommodate the Community Services Council.

The Service Council is currently located in the Oberlin Community Center on South Main Street. People who work at the center perform such duties as food distribution, tutoring, and information referral for low income families. They also participate in the Meals-on-Wheels program, a service where volunteers distribute food for families in need, and provide emergency relief to families. The Council has been active in Oberlin for the past 41 years.

According to Ann Fuller, a member of the Oberlin Community Service Council, council members have been searching for a new location for the past six months. The building which they currently occupy is owned by the Oberlin Historical and Improvement Organization (O.H.I.O) which is transferring the building's use for "reasons which are unclear."

In April, Fuller said that the building which they currently occupy no longer complied with safety codes.