Healthy Corner Stores Network

The Grove, March 12, 2012.

This article profiles a store participating in the St. Louis Healthy Corner Store Project. The store is located in a neighborhood that lacks a supermarket, and a recent poll of neighborhood residents found the number one thing they want and need in the neighborhood is an  affordable, healthy grocery store. The owner of the participating store has been doing business in the neighborhood for fifteen years. He’s tried selling healthier foods in the past but they didn’t always sell very well. He’s excited to learn new techniques for selling healthy foods starting this September, when the project goes into effect. A pilot program of the Healthy Corner Store Project worked with two stores in 2011. The program will measure success based on whether or not there is 5% increase of healthy food at the store.  Three other stores will participate in the program this year.