Black-Owned Grocery Store Opens In Indianapolis Food Desert

Indianapolis now has a Black-owned grocery store which was unveiled Sept. 27.

Located on 6160 E. 38th Street near Sheridan Avenue, Indy Fresh Market is located in the middle of a food desert, where residents previously had to shop at convenience shops for their everyday needs due to a scarce number of grocery stores, WISH-TV reports.

That’s all about to change. With the opening of Indy Fresh, Marion County residents will now be able to access healthy and affordable foods without having to travel three miles to the nearest market.

Owners Michael McFarland and Marckus Williams, both Arlington Woods natives, started their business venture two years ago.

“Feeding low-access and low-income citizens is a passion of mine,” Williams told WISH-TV.

For many residents, the two men are changing lives, but to them, they’re just doing what’s right.

“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,” McFarland said.

Now that their vision has reached fruition, the pair has expressed plans to expand in the near future, all part of a community revitalization initiative led by Cook Medical Group in partnership with Goodwill Commercial Services. The project, called 38th and Sheridan, centers on community engagement and development. According to the Public Policy Institute at Indiana University, the project hopes to economically improve the community without pushing out its existing residents. The Indy Fresh Market is set to have a substantial economic impact upward of $4 million in wages, according to Cook’s predictions.

Open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the new market offers the convenience of long operation hours, home delivery, and in-store pick-up options. Indy Fresh Market will hold its official grand opening ceremony later this month, on Oct. 24 at 11:00 a.m.