Black-owned grocery store opens in Indy food desert
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Fresh Market, a Black-owned full-service grocery store, opened for the first time Wednesday morning.
The new store is located at 6160 E. 38th Street near Sheridan Avenue.
Many neighbors on Indy’s east side have been relying on gas stations because the area is a food desert. The closest grocery store is about 3 miles away and shoppers cannot access it on the bus line.
With the opening of Indy Fresh Market, affordable and nutritious food will now be available for purchase.
The store’s owners, Michael McFarland and Marckus Williams, are both from the Arlington Woods neighborhood and are co-leading the store. They broke ground on the 16,772-square-foot market about two years and hope to add grocery stores in all the food deserts around Indianapolis.
“Feeding low-access and low-income citizens is a passion of mine,” Williams said.
The project is an extension of a community revitalization plan put in place by Cook Medical Group in partnership with Goodwill Commercial Services and will add about 100 jobs to the Marion County economy. Indy Fresh Market is expected to have a one-time economic impact totaling $11.1 million dollars plus an annual impact of $4.6 million in wages.
“As a Veteran of Foreign Wars, I have seen hunger and insecurity in many forms, and I will no longer be on the sidelines, especially in my neighborhood,” said McFarland.
Indy Fresh Market offers fresh produce and a variety of meat and deli options every day from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Customers can also set up home delivery and in-store pickup services.
The owners are planning a grand opening celebration for the community on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m.
Visit the Indy Fresh Market website to learn more.