Funviralpark Albany — For over a decade, from her Morton Avenue Project apartment, Fidelia Rodriguez has seen grocery stores come and go in the neighborhood known as Albany’s South End.
On Tuesday, Rodriguez joined dozens of community members to celebrate the grand opening of South End Grocery. South End Grocery is a non-profit store that delivers produce and groceries to communities that have long suffered from limited access to affordable, healthy food for their residents.
“For a while, the only options were small bodegas and corner shops charging astronomical prices. Fruits and vegetables weren’t always fresh,” Rodriguez explained.
The Black-owned grocery store — lined with shelves of fresh produce, delis, fish products, frozen foods, and nonperishables — was opened last year by BlueLight Development Group and the African-American Cultural Center of the Capital Region on South Pearl Street. We bought the old McDonald’s building at 106.
Its development was led by Travon Jackson, president of the Bluelight Development Group and executive director of the Metropolitan Area’s African American Cultural Center. it got
“All of us in this neighborhood have lived longer on this same concrete and have more experience than ourselves, but now we sell healthy food, produce and groceries at affordable prices. You can walk into a store that looks like them, but never mind,” Jackson said to the crowd’s applause.
In addition to eliminating food deserts with nutritious items locally sourced through farm production managed by Albany County charities, the store will create jobs and provide new opportunities for budding business owners. I’m here.
For Rodriguez, after her 15-year-old granddaughter, Destiny Green, died in a shooting last spring, she finds solace in being away from the city and refocusing her energies on baking.
From sweet potato pies to homemade banana pudding, Ms. Fi’s Tasty Treats, her business’ baked goods, are just a few of the locally made goods available to shoppers. If you’re interested in dessert, try her counter at the back of the shop. Customers can also browse her menu of rotating sandwiches and other made-to-order meals.
Behind the counter, current and former South Albany High School students and members of the African American Cultural Center could be seen checking on customers and answering questions about running the charity store.
“We really needed a grocery store here in the first place, but we also needed these good jobs,” said Shavasha Tucker, one of the store’s employees and a student at Bryant and Stratton College. She said she is looking forward to not only making grocery shopping closer to her home, but also offering a wider range of healthy food options.
The long lines of shoppers lining the circular storefront, also shown at free blood pressure screenings courtesy of CDPHP, demonstrate their enthusiasm to support the nonprofit’s mission to promote health and wellness in their neighborhoods. . A spokesperson for the medical plan said it will set up screenings every Wednesday at the grocery store.
Longtime Southend resident Sadie Boyd could be seen cheering Jackson on enthusiastically during the ribbon-cutting event. She said it was a message of hope for members in areas with difficult access to.
“I think it’s beautiful, especially for older people who may have walkers. It’s just the right space to walk around to get what you need,” she said. And all healthy options mean a lot to this community.”
This effort is made possible by many organizations including Soul Fire Farm, MVP Health Care, KeyBank, Envision Architects, Albany Artisans, Greenman-Pederson Inc., South End Night Market, Downtown Albany Business Improvement District and many others. Ribbon for Tuesday. The interior of the building has been renovated by Albany craftsmen.
