While the family-owned LA Grocery had long been a fixture of Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood, it was in need of updates to serve its growing community. AE7 worked with local nonprofit Neighborhood Allies and the store’s owners to update the shop’s layout and allow it to expand its services. At the top of the priority list: offering fresh produce and healthy prepared foods to the community. The building’s footprint was extended into an adjacent empty lot in order to increase the size of the market’s kitchen, where food is prepared for both takeout and dine-in service. Diners can enjoy their meals on an outdoor terrace or a small indoor dining area, both designed to cultivate community engagement. In the reconfigured interior, which is optimized for fresh-food storage, shoppers now find fresh fruits and vegetables alongside other kitchen staples. A warm masonry-and-wood exterior reflects the historic character of the growing neighborhood and welcomes community members to LA Grocery to shop, chat, and dine.