Finally! Much Needed Store Opening in Downtown Albany ‘Grocery Desert’

It was once a McDonald's and now it will serve as a brand new grocery store in an area where it is badly needed. The residents in that area of Albany have been hoping to get a grocery store in what they call a food desert and the day has finally come.

The New Grocery Store Officially Opens Today!

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony that will be held today, Tuesday, December 27th at 10 am.

South End Grocery will open at 106 South Pearl Street. This is the culmination of a partnership between the South End Grocery Coalition, a partnership of over seventy-five organizations.

The plan was to open the new grocery store during Kwanzaa of this year. The African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region and the BlueLight Development Group led the charge according to the Times Union.

There Was a Huge Void in the Area

The area in downtown Albany has been in need of a grocery store. They called the area a food desert. This is a full-service grocery store that offers food that is locally sourced. They use charity-controlled farm production in Albany County.

What Will South End Grocery Offer?

South End Grocery will be a fully-stocked grocery store for the residents in the South End of Albany. They offer fresh produce, a deli, frozen foods, fish products, dry and nonperishable foods, drinks, and other goods from local farmers and restaurants.