Bear Hugs Remember Going to Triphammer Marketplace? Two Alums Bought It A married couple is planning some improvements to the venerable shopping center, located near campus in Lansing “Bear Hugs” celebrates heartwarming stories of Cornellians on the Hill and around the world. Have an idea? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu! By Melissa Newcomb When her parents would visit Ithaca while she was an undergrad, Kristen Ferguson Kopko ’20 would sometimes meet them for coffee at Ithaca Bakery in Triphammer Marketplace, a shopping center located just a few minutes’ drive from campus. For Spencer Kopko ’18, who grew up in Ithaca, the marketplace—technically located in Lansing, just off Route 13—was a childhood destination for family dinners, errands, and afternoons spent wandering its halls. The complex is known for its distinctive red-and-yellow signage. “Triphammer has always been a comfortable, community-oriented spot,” says Spencer. “It definitely has some eclectic architecture and layout, but it makes sense for the neighborhood that it’s in. You can just get lost in there.” These days, the two are unlikely to get lost in the shopping center—because they own it, having bought it in September 2025, just months after their wedding. Triphammer has always been a comfortable, community-oriented spot. It definitely has some eclectic architecture and layout, but it makes sense for the neighborhood that it’s in. Spencer Kopko ’18 Before becoming business and life partners, the Kopkos met as undergrads on Slope Day. They had a passion for Big Red sports in common, with both serving as captains—Spencer on the men’s soccer team and Kristen on women’s field hockey. ProvidedAs students, after a Big Red field hockey game. They got together during Spencer’s final semester as a government major in Arts & Sciences and remained a couple after graduation, navigating two years of long-distance dating before eventually settling in NYC; they now split their time between the city and Ithaca. The opportunity to buy Triphammer Marketplace came through Spencer’s work in commercial real estate development: he was introduced to the original owners, a local family that had built the property in 1963 and operated it ever since. Several factors made the space appealing, the Kopkos say. Despite the national decline in brick-and-mortar retail, the marketplace was nearly fully occupied, with more than 60% of tenants having operated there for more 20 years. It also has a kind of vintage, small-town sensibility, with storefronts connected by meandering hallways that are enclosed but retain an indoor-outdoor feel. Current tenants include a liquor store, barbershop, drug store, florist, sporting goods store, bike shop, laundromat, and sports-themed bar and grill, as well as the professional offices of a dentist, podiatrist, investment advisor, and more. Courtesy of Town of LansingThe shopping center in 1974. “We want to revamp the property to bring it into the modern day a bit,” says Kristen, an applied economics and management major in Dyson. “That means making slow improvements over time while keeping the charm that makes it so special.” Among the changes the couple is planning is replacing the windows in the signature atrium to let in more natural light. We want to revamp the property to bring it into the modern day a bit. That means making slow improvements over time while keeping the charm that makes it so special. Kristen Ferguson Kopko ’20 The space—which hosts the winter incarnation of the Ithaca Farmers Market—has long functioned as a central spot where visitors can sip coffee, meet friends, or attend events. Other potential upgrades include replacing aging ceiling tiles, updating signage, and creating new outdoor gathering spots with food trucks, picnic tables, and landscaping improvements. The current version of the familiar triangular sign. But for the duo, the marketplace’s future isn’t just about the building itself—it’s also about the merchants that occupy it, and the residents its serves. “It’s been us getting to know the community and its needs, talking to the people who live here,” says Kristen, “and then doing targeted outreach to strong businesses that we think fit the gaps.” The marketplace’s atrium has long functioned as a central spot where visitors can sip coffee, meet friends, or attend events. After identifying a need for more dining options in the area, for example, they recruited a Syracuse-based fish fry eatery and a restaurant serving Thai and Laotian food. They’re also expanding the events on offer throughout the year, hosting pop-ups that have included vintage goods, local artists and musicians, and fundraisers. Greeting a canine visitor at a shop that sells crafts by local artisans. Their priority, they say, is to ensure that the marketplace grows while remaining a spot where residents can gather and connect. “A lot of the charm is that you see familiar faces—the same owners, the same customers,” says Spencer. “Through your shopping, you form these relationships.” Top: The Kopkos outside Ithaca Bakery in the Triphammer Marketplace. (All photos by Sreang Hok / Cornell University, unless otherwise indicated.) Published June 15, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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