Residents in West Jefferson County will soon have access to fresh food and affordable essentials through the Gary Avenue Market, a new neighborhood staple located in the heart of Fairfield. Set to open June 1, the Gary Avenue Market aims to improve access to affordable, healthy food while supporting economic growth in an underserved community.
A new market is coming soon to Fairfield
Located roughly 10 miles west of downtown Birmingham, the city of Fairfield was founded in 1910 as a planned community for workers at the Fairfield Works steel mill. Today, the city is home to around 10,000 residents—yet, the area has struggled as a food desert since the Wal-Mart closed in 2016.
In 2024, members of Urban Hope Community Church and passionate residents in Fairfield opened the Carver Jones Market—the city’s first full-service grocery option in nearly a decade—along the city’s main downtown thoroughfare. Unfortunately, the grocer closed in September 2025 after the building owner discontinued its lease.
Now, a new neighborhood market is opening soon in the former Carver Jones Market space. Dubbed the Gary Avenue Market, the new grocery store is conveniently located in the heart of Fairfield, just off two major exits from I-20/59…