Five years after expanding into a larger location along one of Lawrence’s busiest streets, the Community Mercantile Co-op is looking into ways to make its freshly made meals and takeout sandwiches more convenient for customers.

The Merc’s board of directors is considering concepts for expanding and possibly consolidating its deli, kitchen and seating areas at 901 Iowa.

Among the possibilities are options that could cost more than the $900,000 that the Merc spent in 2001 to relocate its entire store a mile west along Ninth Street, from a former bowling alley and bar at 901 Miss. to the former Alvin’s IGA grocery store in the Hillcrest Shopping Center.

“You could spend as much as you wanted to, but I don’t think we necessarily need to do that to meet our needs,” said Jeanie Wells, the Merc’s general manager. “There are no (firm) numbers yet.”

The Merc’s board remains a good six months away from settling on any deli plan, said Carol Nalbandian, president of the store’s board of directors. Board members have been discussing expansion and relocation options for more than two years, and have convened focus groups of members to learn what they would like to see.

“We’re in the talking stages right now,” Nalbandian said. “Personally, I don’t see us sitting in a new deli for another year.”

Community Mercantile Co-op deli employee Meryl Kass takes an order from Lawrence resident Amik Ahmad on Tuesday afternoon in the store. The Merc is considering plans for expanding its deli operations, which currently are in the back of the store at 901 Iowa.

Wells said that prepared foods – a catch-all description for the store’s deli, bakery items and caatering operations – rated as the Merc’s fastest-growing business segment, and that the rapid growth had stretched space to the limit.

Options being discussed involve “reconfiguring” the store so that the kitchen could be expanded, the deli could be relocated and seating areas in front of the store could accommodate more people.

Nalbandian and Wells said they had heard grumblings from some of the Merc’s 3,100 members-owners about the potential costs and priorities involved in a deli project, but not many.

“If you think of a co-op, it really is a democratically controlled organization,” Wells said, acknowledging a diversity of opinions and requests. “You end up trying to please the absolute largest majority possible.”