An Inside Look at the New Cornucopia Space at Former McDonald’s

Earlier this summer, Cornucopia officially took over the property where the Golden Arches of McDonald’s were once planted on Sloane Avenue for decades.

Cornucopia, the nonprofit that owns the natural foods market, will use the building as a vocational training center, kitchen and catering center for Nature’s Bin, which provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Cornucopia director Scott Duennes took state Sen. Mike Skindell and other community leaders on a tour of the new facility on Tuesday.

“This building was certainly a rehabilitation project of its own,” Duennes said. “It will give us a lot more space.”

He said the store’s current training/baking/kitchen space will increase from 600 square feet to more than 3,500 square feet at the new location. 

“It’s not a restaurant and it’s not a drive-thru,” Duennes added. “It enhances our ability to train people and fulfill the mission of the organization.”

The project was expected to cost $1.1 million, but the costs ballooned to about $1.8 million because of “unexpected expenses.”