INDIANAPOLIS — Residents on the Westside of Indianapolis have lived in what's known as a food desert, a neighborhood with limited access to affordable, healthy food.
Now, a new grocery store is changing that, and it's located on West 16th St in Haughville.
The Superjams Neighborhood Market is bringing fresh produce, meats and essential groceries back to a community that has gone without for too long.
“I’m so happy I don’t have to go all out of the way onto Lafayette Road just to go to Walmart,” said Westside resident Dorian Dorsey. “I can just walk down the street.”
The USDA defines food deserts as urban areas where residents live more than a mile from the nearest grocery store.
According to IU Health, one in seven Hoosiers struggles to access daily necessities.
“When they took Double 8 away, it was kind of a hindrance for everybody,” Dorsey said. “We had to go out of the way just to go grocery shopping.”
The market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, a bakery section and everyday snacks.
“It’s really nice,” said Dorsey. “I can actually get everything I need for my house and still have money left over.”
Serenity Whitaker, who lives near the store, says it is a much-needed convenience.
“It’s easy for me and my sister to walk to the store,” she said. “We was waiting a long time for the store to open.”
Still, not everyone is breathing easy. Dorsey expressed concern about safety in the area, particularly at nearby businesses.
“That Dollar General right next door, they’re constantly getting robbed,” she said. “Their security’s terrible.”
She hopes Superjams won’t face the same problems and that the community will support and protect the new store.
