Concord Market opens in the Student Center on March 11
From baking soda to board games, the self-described “artisanal market” offers a wide variety of products after a launch delayed by a month
Vivian Hir–The Tech
On March 11, Concord Market opened in the Student Center (W20). The vendor occupies the space previously held by La Verde’s Market, which closed in April 2023 after more than three decades of service. This month marks the first time in almost two years that students have had access to a permanent grocery store on campus. According to DormCon meeting minutes on Nov. 21, 2024, the store was originally slated to open on Feb. 2.
The market is open from 7 AM to 10 PM every day of the week. In a response to a request for comment by The Tech, Mark Hayes from the Division of Student Life (DSL) wrote that Concord Market is meant “to provide a campus grocery store to the entire MIT Community.” In particular, Hayes believes that the store will “provide healthy food options in a convenient location.” The market offers various staples, including fresh produce, as well as prepared foods, baking supplies, medication, frozen food, and vegan or gluten free alternatives. Besides food and basic supplies, Concord Market also sells flowers, potted plants, notebooks, pet food, and board games.
This wealth of options has attracted some loyal customers even in the store’s first days. Teresa Jiang ’26 said, “I love Concord Market.” She noted her appreciation for the produce section, especially the onions, green onions, tomatoes, and ginger, writing to The Tech that the market is very “helpful to someone who is in a cook-for-yourself dorm.” DormCon minutes from March 13 report largely positive student feedback on the market’s product selection, although multiple respondents asked for more produce.
Other patrons emphasized the importance — and the previous lack — of a convenient on-campus option. Cassandra Bassett ’28 told The Tech that Concord Market facilitated her plans to bake cookies for friends. Bassett, who lives in a cook-for-yourself dorm, believes that the market will be most useful when she forgets to buy an item from a different store. Paulina Xu ’28 and Chloe Zhang ’28 described themselves as on a quest for “ripoff Tru Fru” and appreciated that the vendor’s location made it easy to “grab a snack.”
However, Jinhee Won ‘26 voiced a common complaint: “I wish it was cheaper.” The March 13 Dormcon meeting minutes state that student feedback on prices was “very mixed” and that the market’s prices seem to be in flux, with “no middle ground” between cheap candy or snack options and expensive organic produce. Concord Market brands itself as an “artisanal grocer.” Along with eggs, milk, and bread, the W20 location offers social media-famous brands like Graza olive oil or Fishwife sardines, while “craft ramen” sits next to the cheaper college staple Maruchan. The Dormcon minutes also note that the market has delayed accepting electronic benefit transfer (EBT) options.
In response to questions from The Tech, Dormcon dining chairs Gabriel Rodriguez Castillo ’25 and Daniel Gonzalez wrote that Concord Market offers “affordable groceries” to students who wish to avoid “a 30-minute trip to Central Square or Trader Joe’s.” Castillo and Gonzalez added, “Anyone wishing to get ready-to-eat lunch for $8 or less can buy a $7.99 sushi, or a $2.99 pizza slice (or two) paired with a $0.99 Arizona.”
The Tech also spoke with Liz Ayres-Moores and Ariel Tejeda, two cashiers at the store. As of the evening of March 15, Ayres-Moore had worked at Concord Market for about a week, while Tejeda had only joined the store that day. They shared that the market seems to be especially busy around lunch time, and that business is more sporadic in the afternoon. Overall, however, the cashiers usually see about five to six people in line.
In total, Ayres-Moores and Tejeda believe that there are about ten employees, not counting kitchen staff who work in the basement, and that the store has a “great team with high energy.” Ayres-Moores shared that they came from “a much more corporate background” and appreciated Concord Market’s family ownership, along with its “different interesting foods” that they had the opportunity to see. Tejeda was excited to speak to customers and connect with the broader MIT community.
Student input has been crucial throughout the process of finding a new vendor for the Student Center. The chairs wrote that the 2023-24 DormCon dining chairs had solicited feedback on student priorities, before sharing student preferences with DSL. Hayes wrote that they chose Concord because of their commitment to “community and local, sustainably created, and unique products.” Upon DSL’s selection, DormCon was able to tour their main location in Concord, MA, hold a forum with market representatives open to the public on Nov. 21, and reach out to the First Generation Low Income (FLI) and Graduate Student Council (GSC) student groups.
While this marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Student Center, the market will continue to evolve. Hayes shared, “In the coming weeks Concord will open up Nosh, a separate vending location in W20 that will carry staple items and grab-and-go meals that will be available when the store is closed.” This location will replace the vending machines previously available on the first floor of the Student Center.
Castillo and Gonzalez encourage students to “share feedback about their first impressions of Concord Market, with an emphasis on product selection and prices,” at dormcon.mit.edu/concord, or to email them at dormcon-dining-chairs@mit.edu.