Too small to support a big box supermarket, some rural towns are turning to alternative grocery store models to feed their populations, says High Country News.
In Walsh, Colo., (pop. 600), townspeople invested in $50 shares to jumpstart a grocery store. Their money, along with a no-interest loan by the Southeast Colorado Power Association, gave rise to the now thriving Walsh Community Grocery Store. Once the debt on the building’s remodel is paid off, shareholders will earn dividend payments.
East of Walsh, the 4th Street Food Store in Saguache, Colo., (pop. 500) shares revenues and a building with a thrift shop. “The thrift store, with its donated, free inventory, generates enough revenue to cover overhead costs, subsidizing the health foods operation,” says High Country, adding that the owner also keeps prices low by ordering directly from local farmers.
When chain grocery stores shut their doors (or refuse to open a location in the first place), dollar stores often move in. Some 6,000 dollar stores have opened since 2010, and at least one company, Dollar General, focuses on areas with a population of 20,000 or less that are ignored by big box stores. But few dollar stores sell fruits and vegetables.
“The arrival of dollar stores, and the closure of local grocers, can turn rural areas into food deserts. When fresh food doesn’t reach the people who need it, or when it’s too expensive for most residents to afford, the result can be a cycle of malnutrition, poor health, and poverty,” says High Country News.