WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Advocates have called Wilmington’s northside a food desert, meaning people living in that part of the city have limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
One organization, the Northside Food Co-op, planned to build a community grocery store along tenth street to give those neighbors healthier options.
“The last grocery store closed down in the 70’s,” said Northside Food Co-op executive director Cierra Washington.
For the past nearly seven years the group has worked on opening a local grocery store at a property at the end of 10th street.
But Washington says they recently found out about a property the city sold to Cape Fear Holdings LLC under the condition it has to be turned into a grocery store for at least 10 years.
It’s just down the road at 3rd and Chestnut street.
“Usually groceries stores being close to each other is great, but it’s so different when corporate grocery stores are near each other as opposed to smaller community-run grocery stores and a corporate store,” said Washington.
She says they don’t have the customers to spare to be in healthy competition with big business.
“You’re battling brand recognition, you’re battling their buying power and their ability to cut certain costs because they have a warehouse of things,” said Washington.
Although she wants to wait to go into details, she says it means they’re seriously considering other options, which could possibly be moving locations.
“We know if we don’t pivot in some way or change our business model in some way, our store just won’t survive,” said Washington.
The group is hosting a community meeting for anyone with questions. The meeting is set to take place on Saturday, April 12, at Dreams of Wilmington starting at 12 p.m.
We’ve previously reported the Co-op has had to pause their plans because of new competition coming into downtown Wilmington.
[Previous story: Northside Food Co-op pauses grocery store development, leaders give update on project.]
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