A look at Atlanta's first city-operated grocery store
Atlanta's first government-operated grocery store, Azalea Fresh Market, has had a successful start, according to city officials.
The community-driven grocery store, funded by taxpayers, is located in the downtown area long considered a food desert. City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, IGA and Savi Provisions collectively worked together to develop the store, which has served tens of thousands of customers since opening last fall.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told Black Enterprise that the store served more than 20,000 customers in its first weeks of opening last fall.
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"Our Administration made a commitment to expand access to fresh food across the city, and Azalea Fresh Market is a significant milestone in ensuring healthy, whole neighborhoods," Dickens, who also serves as Invest Atlanta Board Chair, said in a statement.
Dickens called the store a "community hub that will serve neighborhood residents, support Georgia-grown products and promote healthier lifestyles as we continue to revitalize Downtown."
Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CEO of Invest Atlanta, said the aim of the store is to also "stimulate local job growth and continue to invigorate the Downtown economy."
"This initiative is another example of Atlanta leading the way in addressing food access and food insecurity with a new grocery store model that will foster sustainable community development and enrich the lives of local residents," said Klementich.
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The store is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and spans two levels, offering a wide range of products including fresh produce, dairy, meats and pantry staples. It also sources from local farmers and suppliers to support the regional economy.
Atlanta’s effort is being closely watched by other cities, some of which have struggled to sustain similar government-backed grocery stores, as well as others that are considering launching their own.
New York City socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was sworn in New Year's Day, has floated the idea of city-owned grocers in the Big Apple.
Mamdani campaigned on a slate of progressive policies aimed at lowering the cost of living. Among his proposals, Mamdani said he wanted to create a network of city-owned grocery stores. But Mamdani’s plan faced pushback from business leaders, with Billionaire grocery executive John Catsimatidis threatening at one point that he would close or sell his Gristedes locations if the city moved forward with government-run supermarkets.
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While Catsimatidis later walked back those threats, he has said he intends to reduce his company’s exposure in New York.