Milwaukee grocery store closures; Mayor Johnson addresses food deserts
Milwaukee grocery store closures; city addresses food deserts
Milwaukee leaders are proposing a $1 million fund to help neighborhood grocery stores avoid closing.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders say they are working on a new strategy to prevent neighborhood grocery stores from shutting down as residents warn options for fresh food continue to shrink.
Keeping doors open
What we know:
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Monday, Feb. 9 shared updates on his administration’s work to address healthy food access issues, and efforts underway in response to recent large grocery store closings. Johnson was joined by people in the food business and representatives from the Johnson administration at the Sentry Food Store on Lisbon Avenue.
The proposal would set aside roughly $1 million to help offset operational challenges facing independent grocers and pharmacies.
"Grocery store closures continue to be a problem across the city, and we have been leveraging partnerships in order to stem the current wave of closures," said Mayor Johnson. "So I'm working, as I mentioned, with members of the Common Council on a new grant program that would help grocers with their equipment needs. It can also be for eligible start-up inventory for businesses that are looking to create or expand existing grocery or pharmacy retail operations."
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Johnson said the issue affects both families trying to buy food and business owners trying to keep their doors open.
"There are other trends, and we can work with other city agencies in order to address those things, but right now the most important thing, I believe, is working to make sure that we keep the doors open," said Johnson.
The mayor said potential funding sources could include designated commercial dollars or tax-free legal settlement funds. Milwaukee already operates a Fresh Food Access Fund, but that program primarily supports efforts such as farmers markets and SNAP initiatives rather than direct help to brick-and-mortar grocers.
Grocery stores closing
Dig deeper:
At least seven full-service grocery stores have closed across Milwaukee County over the past year, including three on Milwaukee's north side.
Locations of Milwaukee County grocery store closures
Sentry Foods, located near 64th Street and Silver Spring, has alerted customers that the store will be closing. The location opened in fall 2023, with city leaders at the time estimating it would serve about 12,000 people within a one-mile radius who lacked access to a full-service grocery store.
The Sentry Foods closure follows other recent grocery shutdowns on the city’s north side. An Aldi near Sherman and Custer closed abruptly. Last summer, Pick ’n Save announced the closure of five locations countywide, including one on the north side.
Help for local grocers
Local perspective:
Johnson said the plan begins with help for the Sentry location’s owner, Navjoot Sandhar, who received a $25,000 grant to upgrade an outdated refrigeration system.
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Sandhar said maintaining the decades-old property has become overwhelming.
"Just with how old the building is and everything, it is very hard and difficult to maintain our basic expenses," said Navjoot Sandhar, Sentry Foods store owner. "I’ve gotten to the point of having enough equipment issues to where, to fix them, I don’t have the income coming in anymore to be able to fix all these issues I’m having because the store is such an old store."
He added that support for neighborhood grocers is critical beyond his own business.
Milwaukee grocery store closures impact vulnerable, nonprofit says
The closure of another Milwaukee grocery store, the second already this year, is impacting the city's most vulnerable communities, a nonprofit said.
"If it’s not for me specifically, for the other grocery stores, to make sure we don’t continue to fall into a food desert that Milwaukee is falling into," said Sandhar.
"I decided to come to this store because there isn't anywhere to go over there. They closed down all the grocery stores," said Donald Brown, a Milwaukee resident.
Milwaukee grocery store closures
Mayor Johnson joined grocers and city leaders to discuss the city’s role in addressing food deserts.
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