INDIANAPOLIS — On the east side of Indianapolis a locally owned grocery store is helping fill the void in an area known as a food desert.
"We have fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, dairy products," said Michael McFarland.
The Wall Street Market grocery store has a little bit of everything. In the middle of a pandemic, Michael McFarland and his business partner Marcus Williams opened this grocery store near East 38th street and Emerson Avenue.
"Our motivation for starting this store was basically to give back to our neighborhood. We had seen that the place that we grew up in didn't have access to fresh food," said McFarland.
The store opened on the 4th of July, and already McFarland says some of his shelves are empty thanks to a steady stream of customers. He says it's a clear sign how badly the area needed a grocery store.
"People from the neighborhood they love us, they love that we're from the neighborhood. They love that we're here helping and supporting them, giving them options so they don't have to go all the way across town just to get a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk," said McFarland.
The lack of food access has been mentioned as a factor in the city's on-going violence issue. This business owner says reducing violence and taking care of the community's needs goes hand in hand.
"When people get desperate, they do desperate things. Food is a necessity for life, so if you starve somebody, they might do some crazy things that they might not have had to do," said McFarland.
Both Marcus and Michael will tell you the future for this community and this store is bright, and they're not waiting for Kroger or Walmart to come in and save the day.
"We're right here, right now. Wall Street Market could be the next Walmart or the next Kroger, you know with the support of the city this could go world-wide."
The Wall Street Market is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week, at 5435 E. 38th St.
