Downtown grocery store changes hands

A 7-year-old grocery store in downtown Springfield is under new ownership.

Jade Lovelady said she purchased Park Central Market with partner Tyler Buttram and brother Adam Lovelady. The sale from founders Scott and Raven Cotton closed May 13 for undisclosed terms, she said.

"We have always dreamed of owning a business," Jade Lovelady said, noting the business partners have grocery store experience working at MaMa Jean's Natural Foods Market LLC. "We are doing this to learn the ropes of business. We're looking forward to building this even greater than it was before."

Founded in March 2018, Park Central Market is located in 2,700 square feet on the ground floor of Sky Eleven at 331 Park Central East, Ste. 100, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Its offerings include grocery and beer coolers.

Declining to disclose financial terms, Lovelady said the new owners have taken over the lease in the Sky Eleven building.

In a letter shared to Park Central Market's Facebook page, the Cottons thanked customers of the store.

"We’re passing the torch to a fantastic new set of owners who we know will bring their own heart, ideas and love to this special corner of Springfield," they wrote. "Thank you for loving this little store, for supporting our family and for giving us the kind of memories that will stay with us for a lifetime."