Greg Horos and Melissa Rosen plan to open Locali on December 12 in the former Franklin Village home of Franklin Grocery, offering “conscious convenience.” Locali means “community” in Italian. With that in mind, Rosen promises “convenient access to eco-friendly products, delicious prepared foods, natural snack items and unique beverages from local, organic and sustainable growers, food artisans and suppliers.” Basically, Locali is a healthier, eco-friendly version of 7-Eleven.

To channel their vision, Horos and Rosen hired Ana Henton and Greg Williams from MASS Architecture & Design (Silverlake Wine, Breadbar Century City, the upcoming CASA and Corkbar, etc.). Rosen describes the space as “a Japanese quik-mart meets a European corner store,” with ultra-green construction. That means stainless steel and reclaimed Douglas Fir, solar tube and LED lighting and low VOC paint. Expect bar seating at the window, with benches and tables outside. The seating will be crafted from reclaimed wood. The water will flow from a reverse osmosis tap, which will allow customers to fill reusable bottles. Locali will also feature both recycling and composting.

“In terms of food, Locali carefully selects all vendors and looks forward to increasing your connection to the sources of what you consume,” says Rosen. “With a heightened awareness of where our food comes from, we can make informed decisions about what we eat in order to aid our personal health and vitality, while minimizing our negative impact on the environment and other people.”

Rosen supplied more specifics about Locali’s food: “You will not find any product containing high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars, hydrogenated oils or genetically modified ingredients on our shelves. In addition to an exclusive selection of sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines and beers, we also offer a range of convenience store favorites all made from organic ingredients. Hot pretzels, grass fed beef and tofu hot dogs, fair trade coffee, wild harvested yerba mate spritzers, gluten-free bagels and agave-sweetened slushies are just some of our tasty offerings. Seasonal soups, salads and sandwiches will also be available, along with pre-packaged meals from local food artisans and restaurants.”

Locali’s impact won’t be limited to the storefront. “In the near future, we plan to organize workshops, field trips and tastings related to wellness, environmental and self-sufficiency education,” says Rosen. “We’re working on exciting project for our opening with the Cheremoya School that will benefit the students. In January, we will become a community supported agriculture drop site for the Tierra Miguel Foundation, an organic non-profit farm. Those interested can sign up directly with Tierra Miguel Farm. On continual basis, a percentage of our profits will benefit a variety of local and international charities.”