South St. Pete grocery co-op moves closer to opening with city grant, growing membership
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For years, families in South St. Petersburg have had to leave their own neighborhoods to find fresh groceries.
With no major supermarket nearby, many residents have relied on corner stores, gas stations or rides to other parts of the city. Now, a community-driven effort to change that is gaining momentum.
What we know:
The One Community Grocery Co-op is working to open a community-owned grocery store. The co-op has been in the works since 2017.
Board President Erica Zenzele Hardison says the model is built around community ownership, where members buy in and collectively support the store.
RELATED: St. Pete residents push for community-owned grocery store in 'food desert'
So far, 190 member-owners have signed on.
Recently, the City of St. Petersburg City Council approved a resolution providing a $50,000 grant to help fund pre-development efforts.
Courtesy: One Community Grocery Co-Op
That money will go toward feasibility studies and refining site and performance plans.
The backstory:
South St. Pete has lacked a full-service grocery store for nearly a decade.
Residents say previous stores, including Sweetbay Supermarket and Walmart Neighborhood Market, opened and later closed, leaving the area without consistent access to fresh food.
The Tangerine Plaza in the Greater 22nd Street Business District is also working to secure a grocer.
What they're saying:
While working toward a brick-and-mortar location, the co-op is hosting pop-up grocery events to bring fresh produce directly into the neighborhood.
Some of the food is sourced from Greens N' Things Urban Farm, a local urban farm operated by Eric Law.
Law says he partners with landowners across the city to grow produce and keeps funding within the community through a cooperative model supported by member-owners and partner co-ops.
He calls it a collaborative effort aimed at strengthening local food access while reinvesting dollars back into South St. Pete.
Why you should care:
Food access impacts health, economic opportunity, and neighborhood stability.
RELATED: St. Pete's long-awaited Tangerine Plaza development gets another extension
Supporters say a community-owned grocery store would not only provide fresh produce, but also create local jobs and keep profits circulating within South St. Pete.
What's next:
Organizers are focused on growing membership to reach their 300-member goal.
Community members can join with an initial $25 payment toward a $225 lifetime membership, which can be paid in installments.
Courtesy: One Community Grocery Co-Op
Leaders say every new member brings them closer to opening a community-owned grocery store, one designed to serve the neighborhood from the inside out.
The Source: This story is based on interviews with leadership from the One Community Grocery Co-op and Eric Law of Greens N’ Things Urban Farm, in addition to information from the City of St. Petersburg regarding the approved $50,000 pre-development grant.