A Fresh Start: How Main Street Mercantile is Reviving Rural Access
In the heart of Lebanon, Kansas, Main Street Mercantile (F.K.A. Ladow’s Market) has long been more than just a grocery store—it has been a lifeline for the community.
As the only source of staple goods, fresh produce, and hot meals, it plays a critical role in ensuring food access for local residents, particularly low-income families and SNAP beneficiaries. However, when the market fell into disrepair, urgent action was needed to preserve this essential resource.
Recognizing the need to sustain food access in the community, the owners of R Family Farms, a North Central Kansas-based farm-to-table meat wholesaler and retailer, took a bold step. In 2023, they established Nonabel Holdings LLC, a dedicated entity to purchase, restore, and operate Main Street Mercantile Market. With support from a $200,000 award through Reinvestment Fund’s 2021 Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Targeted Small Grants Program, this vision became a reality, ensuring the market’s long-term sustainability and expanding its impact.
HFFI is a public-private partnership between Reinvestment Fund and USDA Rural Development that is designed to address food access challenges in underserved communities, providing funding to projects that improve the availability of healthy, affordable food. To carry out this work, Reinvestment Fund, a national mission-driven financial institution, marshals the capital, analytics, and expertise necessary to create opportunities for underserved people and places, building stronger, healthier, and more equitable communities. As the National Fund Manager, Reinvestment Fund has helped channel crucial capital into sustainable food systems, making projects like the transformation of Main Street Mercantile possible. With this funding, Nonabel Holdings LLC undertook significant renovations, modernized the store, expanded storage capacity, and strengthened partnerships with local producers to keep the shelves stocked with fresh, nutritious, and locally sourced food.
A photo from Main Street Mercantile on opening day after the revitalization of the store.
With revitalization of the store completed, Main Street Mercantile is once again a hub for fresh food and community connections in Lebanon.
Through this ambitious project, Main Street Mercantile saw remarkable improvements. A new warehouse facility was constructed to support food storage, aggregation, and the growing meat distribution business of R Family Farms. These enhancements not only bolstered the market’s operations, but also provided a reliable hub for local farmers and food producers, creating a more sustainable and interconnected regional food system. The store itself underwent extensive renovations, modernizing its layout and improving its food storage capabilities to better serve the community.
The revitalization unfolded through a series of carefully planned milestones. By early 2023, essential equipment was ordered to facilitate the market’s transformation. In May, construction of the new warehouse commenced, followed by its completion and equipment installation in July. Over the next year, the market underwent a full renovation, leading to its grand reopening in November 2024 .
The impact of this project has been profound. Residents of Lebanon now have a revitalized, fully stocked grocery store that ensures continued access to fresh and affordable food. Local farmers and food producers benefit from a strengthened distribution network, creating new opportunities for economic growth. This investment in Main Street Mercantile has not only preserved an essential community resource but has also laid the foundation for a more resilient local food system.
Looking ahead, Nonabel Holdings LLC will continue operating the market to ensure its long-term sustainability, while R Family Farms remains a key supplier, further strengthening local food production and distribution. The success of Main Street Mercantile is a testament to the power of strategic investment and community-driven collaboration. By reinforcing rural food infrastructure, this project has created lasting change, serving as a beacon of nourishment, resilience, and sustainability for Lebanon and beyond.