The Bunny & Jane Newton Community Kitchen
The Newton Kitchen is now open at the Joplin Empire Market. It is available to rent on a monthly basis for catering service, as a commissary kitchen, or whatever your food-based small business requires. The kitchen is also suited for pop-ups or for events. Apply below.
The Bunny & Jane Newton Community Kitchen at Empire partners with The Food Corridor, the #1 management platform for shared kitchens. Renters benefit from easy online scheduling, transparent billing, and a professional system that supports their business as they grow. This is a free benefit we offer to all our renters.
Bunny & Jane Newton Community Kitchen
Downtown Joplin Alliance has done an amazing job utilizing our donated structure, and some major facilities upgrades have been completed including a new roof and electrical upgrades. In late 2021, we launched a capital campaign to create a commercial kitchen on site. Construction was completed in 2022 and the Bunny & Jane Newton Community Kitchen opened in January of 2023. This kitchen is integral for future growth and will provide:
- To expand farmers’ crop output with preserving, freezing, dehydrating and otherwise creating value-added products like salsa, jams, and spice mixes
- To provide a test kitchen for start up chefs and a platform for existing vendors to create a wide range of food options for market days
- To teach food prep and cooking to individuals from a variety of ages and economic backgrounds
- To expand the amount of free kids’ meals we can prep and store for Saturdays
The Future of the Empire Market
In December of 2016, the Empire District Electric Company donated to Downtown Joplin Alliance over 33,000 sq ft of buildings on 3.34 acres in the heart of Joplin. The primary structure, which now houses the Empire Market on the ground floor and rental workspace on the second floor, was built in 1907 and is located at 4th & Railroad.
How You Can Help
With the opening of the Newton Kitchen at Empire, our market continues to thrive and we are running our of developed space–your generosity allows us to maintain our existing programs and plan for future expansion. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. EIN 43-1561015
More questions? Contact Lori Haun at 417-529-3888 or at [email protected]