West Dayton closer to getting grocery store

An initiative is underway to develop a cooperative grocery store.

West Dayton’s chances of getting a cooperative grocery store improved greatly after local governments pledged financial assistance to the undertaking and a poll indicates strong neighborhood support.

Poll results suggest that many residents in northwest Dayton would make a worker-owned food co-op on Salem Avenue their primary destination for grocery shopping.

The group behind the effort also got a major boost when the city of Dayton, Montgomery County and another program agreed to provide thousands of dollars to help develop a business plan for the market.

The cooperative grocery store would bring nutritious and high-quality foods and new jobs to a part of the city known for its “food deserts” and limited economic opportunities, said Matthew Currie, president of the Greater Dayton Union Cooperative Initiative, which is pushing for the grocery store.

“Everyone who works there will have a share in the ownership,” he said.

The Greater Dayton Union Cooperative Initiative polled residents between late March and mid-June about their feelings on a cooperative grocery store.

About 1,100 people — most of whom live in northwest Dayton — filled out print and online surveys.

The survey found that seven in 10 respondents indicated they were likely or very likely to make a worker-owned, full-service grocery store on lower Salem Avenue their primary choice for grocery shopping, said Richard Stock, director of the Business Research Group at the University of Dayton.

The poll also found that six in 10 respondents said they would be interested or very interested in purchasing shares of the grocery co-op if they sold for $100 each, said Stock, who is analyzing the survey results.

Proof of market demand is extremely important when seeking bank loans and other financing, and the survey results are promising, Stock said.

“There is substantial interest and great viability for a grocery store,” he said.

Stock said they are working on revenue estimates for the co-op and drafting some preliminary details of a business plan.

The Greater Dayton Union Cooperative Initiative plans to issue a request for proposals this month for a comprehensive business plan, which hopefully should be completed by year’s end, said Currie.

The group plans to host shareholder drives to sell consumer shares of the co-op to raise money for the project while building community support, Currie said.

The cooperative initiative needs funding to secure a site for the grocery store the lower portion of Salem Avenue, Currie said.

Recently, Montgomery County pledged $10,000 to help fund the first phase of the project, which will include paying for professional consulting services.

The city of Dayton also will contribute $10,000 to be used for consulting services and environmental testing, said Erin Ritter, human services policy advisor with the city of Dayton.

The project should address the critical issue of food access in west Dayton while providing economic opportunities to the workers who own the business, she said.

Hunger is one of the biggest challenges facing the community, and research has shown that western Montgomery County is one big food desert because it lacks supermarkets and other retailers that carry affordable and nutritious food, said Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge.

The northwest section of Dayton has a variety of small convenient stores and markets, but the selection of food items tends to be very limited and healthy options can be expensive or slight. Many people with limited access to transportation do not live near these stores.

The co-op model has worked in Cincinnati, and this project fits in with the efforts of the county and other local partners to try to expand food access, Dodge said.

“We want to do everything we can possibly do to provide fresh fruits and vegetables and good groceries to residents who don’t have access to them,” Dodge said.

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