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Campaign begins to bring a supermarket to inner city
Date: 11/8/2011
By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD — An on-going campaign to bring an additional supermarket to the center of the city to serve urban neighborhoods has announced a new effort to call attention to the money spent on food by those residents.
The Just Food Campaign, an effort of the Food Justice leadership team, would like residents of the Old Hill, Upper Hill, Bay and McKnight neighborhoods to save their grocery receipts for the month of November.
The receipts, Jessica Collins of the team explained to Reminder Publications, would indicate just how much money is being spent on food in those neighborhoods — money that is not just leaving the neighborhoods, but is leaving the city.
Collins explained that a survey of 1,100 residents and commuters showed a strong preference for a “full line” conventional supermarket. She said that Big Y World Class Markets and Super Stop & Shops are examples of that category of market.
She said a market research study showed a full line supermarket could be profitable in that area of the city.
Collins emphasized the group does not want to put any existing store out of business, but simply wants to offer more choices.
“It’s doesn’t have to be one or another,” she said.
Collins noted that for a full line conventional supermarket to become a reality several elements would have to happen at approximately the same time: a location must be secured and a grocery store must be working with a real estate developer who has access to proper financing.
In conjunction with DevelopSpringfield and the State Street Alliance, Collins said a tentative site has been selected. The Burger King on State Street, which abuts the Springfield Technical Community College parking lot, as well as several other abutting buildings, makes up a parcel that would be large enough for a full line grocery store, she said.
Residents can bring their envelopes with a month’s worth of food receipts to collection boxes at the following locations: Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, 365 Bay St.; Highland House, 250 Oak Grove St.; Holy Trinity Church of God, 57 Bay St.; Springfield Technical Community College, 1 Armory St.; Dunbar Community Center, 33 Oak St.; Mason Square Health Center, 11 Wilbraham Ave.; Old Hill Neighborhood Council, 99 Eastern Ave.; Golden Crust, 320 Wilbraham Road.; Polite Barber Shop, 240 King St.; American International College, 1000 State St.; Acorn Girls Club, 13 Acorn St.; Progressive Community Baptist Church, 699 State St.; Spring of Hope Church, 35 Alden St.; Celestial Praise Church, 321 Wilbraham Road; Deliverance Center Ministries, 1060 Worcester St., Indian Orchard; St. John’s Church, 643 Union St.; and Mirkin’s Cleaners, 583 State St.
Residents should put their name and address on the envelopes in order to be eligible for a raffle.
