A long vacant corner building in Skyland is preparing to reopen with a neighborhood focused grocery market, deli, cafe and bottle shop led by two local residents who saw opportunity in a space that has sat empty since 2015.
Max and Emily Bramer, originally from Iowa and New Hampshire, moved to NE Park Hill hoping to find a long term community. After learning from friends about an abandoned grocery store in the adjacent neighborhood, they began questioning why the space had remained closed for so long. That curiosity turned into action when they realized they could be the ones to bring it back.
Despite having no prior grocery, retail or real estate experience, the pair leaned on backgrounds in business dealmaking and nonprofit work to move the project forward. They negotiated lease terms and concessions without representation, coordinated directly with multiple vendors and navigated the permitting process largely on their own.
The building, constructed in 1952, historically housed a grocery store, liquor store and laundromat. The former grocery space will reopen as The Corner on Madison at 2800 N. Madison St., offering everyday groceries, fresh produce, meat, dairy, household essentials, a deli and cafe seating.
The concept draws inspiration from European neighborhood markets where shopping is woven into daily life. The goal is to create a space where residents can grab morning coffee, meet friends for a drink in the afternoon, shop for dinner and run into neighbors along the way.
Given the building’s size, the market will not mirror a large grocery chain. Instead, the focus will be on fewer product options across multiple price points, allowing customers to complete a full shop or replace key parts of their weekly grocery run. The store will also carry last minute essentials such as diapers and ibuprofen for nearby residents who would otherwise need to drive 10 to 15 minutes.
A robust deli and meat and seafood counter is planned, responding to a lack of specialty meats and cheeses in the area. The operators aim to partner with local ranches when possible while maintaining accessible pricing. Sandwiches will be sold to encourage customers to stay rather than shop and leave.
One of the most visible changes will be reopening the windows along Madison Street. The restored frontage will create a more inviting street presence and allow for patio seating that reactivates the corner and reshapes the feel of the intersection.
Next door, the former liquor store will reopen as Effin’s Bottle Shop at 3513 E. 28th Ave. The bottle shop will feature 200 to 300 domestic and international wines spanning multiple price points, along with craft beer, domestic staples and a liquor selection leaning toward mid to high price tequilas, mezcals and whiskeys. Wine and beer by the glass will be available alongside a small selection of freezer door cocktails.
The third unit within the building, previously a laundromat, remains available and presents an opportunity for another entrepreneur to join two new long term neighborhood businesses with a complementary use. Directly across the street, an additional commercial space within the plaza at 2801 Madison St. is also available, creating another opportunity for a synergistic business to contribute to the block’s reactivation.
The property remained vacant for years because ownership was committed to leasing the space only to a grocery operator, recognizing the neighborhood need and holding out for the right fit.
Effin’s Bottle Shop is expected to open alongside the grocer with construction across both spaces continuing through the year.
When complete, the project will return daily retail, social activity and neighborhood convenience to a Skyland corner that has been quiet for nearly a decade, signaling a long term commitment to walkable commerce and community life.
