There’s been a lot of chitter chatter in my circles about plans for a new grocery store in the Parkrose neighborhood. The working name for it is Parkrose Grocery (though Parkrose Local Grocery has been considered) and it is a project by Don McKeever, who comes to it with a number of years of experience under his belt of running a large grocery store. I was curious to learn more, so after a few rounds of phone tag, we chatted for a bit about his ideas and plans for Parkrose Grocery
Parkrose Grocery: What’s in a Name?
This one is pretty obvious: It’s a grocery store in the Parkrose neighborhood. It would be one of two grocery stores in this part of East Portland, including the OG Hong Phat, a Vietnamese grocery store that sells products from throughout Asia, and more.
Grocery Stores in District 1
Don told me that District 1, in which Parkrose is located, has only a handful of conventional grocery stores, whereas in District 3 there are 18. Those grocery stores in D1 include:
- Grocery Outlet: two, one in NE and one in SE.
- WinCo: two in NE; there is also one in SE just west of 82nd (District 3).
- Fred Meyer: one in SE; the one that was in NE/Gateway closed last summer.
- Safeway: one in SE.
- Costco: one in NE.
I’d add Su Casa Supermercado in SE (Centennial), too, because it’s big and it’s awesome, as well as 99 Ranch in SE (Hazelwood), which opened last summer. Note that most of these grocery stores are south of Parkrose.
Smaller Markets in East Portland, and Ones Far Away
Then there are smaller markets like Lily Market in Parkrose Heights, which is an amazing Thai grocery market; Namaste in Hazelwood, which has a lot of Indian and South Asian groceries, plus a nice steam table (I like the refrigerator of Indian sweets, esp the burfis); and Growers Market in Wilkes East, which is kind of a year-round indoor farmers market.
Just over the border into Gresham are supermarkets like Albertsons, Best Fresh Market, La Tapatia Market (Mexican), International Halal Market (Halal food), and Oregon International Market (Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/SWANA).
But they are nowhere near Parkrose. The neighborhood needs another supermarket. And like many of us, Don doesn’t want to see Parkrose lose out in this way (the term, “food desert” has been uttered in conversations).
More Than Just Selling Groceries, It’s About Community
Don has seen what a grocery store can do beyond simply selling product—which is important and its raison d’être, of course. But he’s seen how a basic grocery store can impact a whole community…