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Bushel and Peck asks Charlestown council to renew lease after lapse, cites local jobs and food-access gains
Summary
Operators of Bushel and Peck apologized for letting their Charles Washington Hall lease lapse and urged the newly reorganized lease committee to approve a one‑year renewal, citing jobs, payroll and the store’s role in removing a USDA downtown food‑desert designation.
Diane Lust, chairman of the Jefferson Gap Coalition, apologized to the Charlestown City Council for allowing Bushel and Peck’s lease at Charles Washington Hall to lapse and asked the council to meet with the nonprofit to renew the lease for next year.
“We stand ready to meet with the city, to discuss renewing a lease for next year at your earliest convenience,” Lust said, adding that Bushel and Peck helped remove the USDA designation of downtown Charlestown as a food desert. She described the store as “a small friendly grocery store” that supports local growers and provides services to residents and businesses.
Fiona Harrison, market manager of the Charlestown Farmers Market and a founding member of the Jefferson Gap Coalition, told the council Bushel and Peck has employed 10 local residents since opening in October 2017, has paid more than $421,000 in salaries and over $48,000 in rent to the city. “I am requesting that the newly reorganized lease committee renew our lease in Charles Washington Hall, effective immediately for 1 year under our current terms,” Harrison said.
Other speakers during the public‑comment period included a part‑time employee who described the store’s community value and a resident representing the Perry family who raised separate concerns about a road project affecting private property.
Council did not take a final vote on the lease during the public‑comment portion; later in the meeting the council voted in open session to direct staff to present leases to lessees at Charles Washington Hall, a procedural step staff said would move leasing discussions forward.
The council packet includes a food‑hub study funded by a city grant that Bushel and Peck said it will share with the economic development office; the group said it used the study to explore ways to support local farmers. The group also highlighted that the store remained open during the COVID‑19 pandemic to provide a retail outlet for growers.
Next steps: council directed staff to present lease documents to lessees; the lease committee will consider renewal terms and report back to council.
